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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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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: bound · suit · present · calf · degree · rush · pit · scale

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bound — certain
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. degree — an amount
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. present — a gift
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bound — obliged
  17. degree — temperature
  18. scale — in music
  19. present — there
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — the time now
  24. bound — tied together

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