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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · stick · ball · stand · degree · calf · sharp · cue

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. degree — an amount
  4. cue — a signal
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rash — a series
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rash — hasty
  19. cue — a hint
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. degree — temperature
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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