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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
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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: calf · cap · roll · wave · stand · sharp · date · degree

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. roll — a list
  4. stand — to bear
  5. date — the fruit
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. degree — an amount
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. degree — from a university
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cap — a lid
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. cap — a hat
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cap — of ice
  20. roll — a cake
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. calf — a young animal
  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