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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rest — what's left
  3. degree — an amount
  4. rest — a break
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. sharp — clever
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — steady
  12. track — a path
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. rest — what's left
  21. degree — from a university
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. degree — temperature
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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