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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. degree — temperature
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. degree — an amount
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. squash — the sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. staff — a stick
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bark — to shout
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. degree — from a university
  23. club — for golf
  24. squash — the vegetable

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