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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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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: pitcher · degree · board · shower · arm · rock · pound · bay

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. shower — rain
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. degree — temperature
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. rock — music
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — a committee
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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