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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. deal — to handle
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mark — a grade
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lean — thin
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. degree — from a university
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. degree — an amount
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fork — a garden tool

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