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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: branch · deal · spell · key · lean · degree · calf · tube

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. tube — the underground
  4. branch — a division
  5. lean — thin
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. key — in music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. degree — an amount
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. tube — a container
  15. key — the most important part
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — temperature
  24. spell — a short time

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