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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 120 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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. firm — steady
  3. degree — temperature
  4. swing — to play on
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. degree — from a university
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. swing — music
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. firm — decided
  18. stand — to bear
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. swing — in golf
  24. coach — a trainer

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