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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — from a university
  5. staff — a stick
  6. tube — a container
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — to be able to
  9. tube — the underground
  10. can — a tin
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. pit — in a race
  15. can — a tin
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pit — a hole
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. degree — temperature
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. tube — in a tire

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