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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: row · bay · degree · pop · squash · mouse · board · wave

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. row — a line
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. row — to paddle
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. board — to get on
  16. pop — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. squash — the sport
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bay — a horse colour

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