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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: bay · pound · present · ground · fan · roll · degree · hide

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ground — a position
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pound — a weight
  8. roll — a cake
  9. degree — from a university
  10. ground — the earth
  11. roll — a list
  12. degree — an amount
  13. present — there
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. degree — temperature
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. ground — crushed
  24. present — a gift

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