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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 116 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 the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. fall — the season
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. tube — a container
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bound — obliged
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bound — certain
  11. degree — temperature
  12. fall — to drop
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. degree — from a university
  15. ball — a dance
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — an aim
  19. tube — the underground
  20. object — a thing
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bound — tied together
  23. calf — a young animal
  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