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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. can — to be able to
  8. suit — in cards
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. degree — from a university
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. can — a tin
  20. squash — to crush
  21. wake — a trail
  22. suit — clothes
  23. degree — temperature
  24. sharp — exactly

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