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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. root — of a word
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. root — the cause
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. degree — an amount

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