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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.

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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. squash — the sport
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — to crush
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. degree — temperature
  10. fall — to drop
  11. degree — from a university
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. degree — an amount
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fall — the season
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. racket — a loud noise

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