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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · degree · bound · object · mug · can · hide · ball

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. can — to be able to
  5. degree — from a university
  6. row — a line
  7. degree — an amount
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mug — a face
  11. can — a tin
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bound — obliged
  15. object — a thing
  16. row — to paddle
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. object — to protest
  20. degree — temperature
  21. mug — a cup
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — certain

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