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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: net · ball · calf · perch · bear · degree · roll · present

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. roll — a cake
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. net — for catching
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. perch — the fish
  17. ball — a great time
  18. degree — from a university
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. roll — a list
  22. bear — the animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. present — there

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