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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: pitcher · calf · straw · firm · fall · degree · fine · ruler

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. fall — the season
  2. firm — steady
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. firm — a company
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. firm — decided
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fall — to drop
  15. degree — an amount
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fine — all right
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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