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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. current — happening now
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. degree — from a university
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pass — a permit
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. key — the most important part
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. pass — to succeed

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