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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bulb — for light
  5. degree — an amount
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. degree — temperature
  20. hand — help
  21. scale — in music
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. calf — of the leg

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