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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 120 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: degree · saw · rule · calf · nail · racket · dip · wax

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rule — government
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rule — a law
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. saw — the tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. degree — temperature
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. degree — an amount
  15. dip — to sink
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wax — to grow
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — for tennis

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