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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. degree — from a university
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bound — certain
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. degree — temperature
  17. cap — a lid
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. degree — an amount
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. calf — a young animal

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