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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 · board · degree · arm · saw · game · suit · bear

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. row — a line
  6. board — to get on
  7. degree — temperature
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. degree — an amount
  13. game — wild animals
  14. saw — the tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. row — to paddle
  17. suit — in cards
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. degree — from a university
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. saw — the tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bear — the animal
  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