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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
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: saw · calf · degree · bulb · ground · march · temple · staff

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. degree — an amount
  4. staff — employees
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ground — the earth
  7. march — the month
  8. bulb — for light
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. march — music
  11. degree — temperature
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. ground — a position
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. march — the month
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. staff — a stick
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. ground — crushed
  24. temple — a place of worship

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