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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 120 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: bear · bowl · pit · lean · perch · degree · wave · coach

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pit — a hole
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bear — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. degree — an amount
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. degree — from a university
  16. perch — the fish
  17. lean — thin
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lean — to bend
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lean — to rest against

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