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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.

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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. content — the amount
  3. firm — decided
  4. degree — temperature
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. degree — from a university
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bulb — for light
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. content — happy
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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