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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: key · calf · hand · degree · wave · foot · roll · tube

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. key — in music
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. hand — in cards
  5. tube — a container
  6. hand — help
  7. tube — the underground
  8. key — the most important part
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. degree — an amount
  15. key — for a lock
  16. roll — a list
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. degree — from a university
  24. foot — a measure

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