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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. degree — temperature
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. degree — an amount
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. cap — of ice
  16. wake — a trail
  17. can — a tin
  18. drill — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bound — certain
  23. degree — from a university
  24. cap — a hat

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