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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: degree · rule · rock · pit · board · mouse · calf · fall

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rock — a stone
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. rock — music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. degree — from a university
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — a committee
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pit — in a race
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. board — to get on
  24. rule — government

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