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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: degree · object · kick · lie · calf · suit · trunk · shower

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — an aim
  9. degree — an amount
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. shower — rain
  13. degree — from a university
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — to wash
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. suit — to fit
  24. degree — temperature

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