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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 116 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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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: present · degree · tube · row · calf · cap · cabinet · pound

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. degree — an amount
  3. row — a line
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. present — there
  7. degree — from a university
  8. pound — a weight
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. degree — temperature
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. cap — a hat

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