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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: prune · ground · mouse · calf · board · squash · present · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. squash — the sport
  5. present — the time now
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ground — the earth
  9. board — a committee
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. degree — from a university
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. board — to get on

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