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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. suit — to fit
  6. degree — from a university
  7. suit — in cards
  8. degree — an amount
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. branch — a division
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. march — music
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. suit — clothes
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bore — to drill
  19. march — the month
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. tube — a container
  22. stand — to bear
  23. march — the month
  24. calf — a young animal

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