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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: degree · root · wave · game · racket · patient · ball · board

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. game — a kind of play
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. ball — a dance
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. degree — temperature
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. degree — from a university
  15. game — a match
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. game — wild animals
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. degree — an amount
  21. root — of a plant
  22. board — a committee
  23. ball — a great time
  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