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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: degree · calf · hand · swing · stem · fine · suit · plane

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. hand — help
  6. degree — temperature
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. swing — in golf
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. suit — to fit
  15. degree — from a university
  16. hand — in cards
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. suit — in cards
  20. degree — an amount
  21. fine — all right
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — music
  24. fine — high quality

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