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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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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: dip · bound · row · present · mouse · wax · degree · squash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. squash — to crush
  5. present — the time now
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. degree — from a university
  10. present — there
  11. bound — obliged
  12. dip — to sink
  13. degree — an amount
  14. row — a line
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. degree — temperature
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. present — a gift
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. squash — the sport

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