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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 124 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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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: wave · board · kid · bank · perch · bear · root · degree

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. board — to get on
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. kid — child
  7. degree — from a university
  8. perch — the fish
  9. degree — temperature
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bank — for money
  13. bear — the animal
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bank — for money
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. kid — to tease
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. root — of a word
  24. board — a committee

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