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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 116 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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. perch — the fish
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. degree — an amount
  13. season — in sport
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. object — to protest
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. degree — temperature
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. object — a thing
  22. season — of the year
  23. perch — for a bird
  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