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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · object · sharp · bound · drill · chip · lie · board

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. object — a thing
  3. chip — to eat
  4. degree — temperature
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. drill — a practice
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. drill — army training
  11. object — to protest
  12. chip — for betting
  13. board — to get on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. board — a committee
  19. drill — the tool
  20. object — an aim
  21. bound — tied together
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. degree — an amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com