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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. degree — temperature
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. degree — from a university
  6. club — a group
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. key — the most important part
  13. club — for golf
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. saw — the tool
  16. key — in music
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. club — for dancing
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. degree — an amount
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — for a lock

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