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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.

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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: pass · squash · degree · spell · race · scale · calf · toast

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pass — a permit
  5. toast — bread
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. degree — an amount
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. degree — temperature
  14. race — a contest
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. race — humankind
  18. squash — the sport
  19. spell — a short time
  20. degree — from a university
  21. spell — magic
  22. race — the arms race
  23. spell — letters
  24. squash — the vegetable

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