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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. degree — temperature
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. object — an aim
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. degree — from a university
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — in a road
  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