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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bore — to drill
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. suit — to fit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pop — soda
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — in cards
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fine — all right
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. rush — hurry
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. suit — clothes
  24. degree — from a university

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