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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — an amount
  5. pop — music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. land — to come down
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rest — a break
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rest — what's left
  16. land — ground
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. land — a country
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lie — to recline

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