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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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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: bore · last · fall · degree · calf · wave · pass · key

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fall — the season
  5. degree — temperature
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. last — final
  8. fall — to drop
  9. last — to go on
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bore — to drill
  15. key — the most important part
  16. degree — from a university
  17. last — finally
  18. key — in music
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fall — to drop
  21. degree — an amount
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. key — for a lock
  24. calf — of the leg

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