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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
468
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: cap · calf · patient · game · bark · fine · firm · degree

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. firm — steady
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — high quality
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — from a university
  8. firm — decided
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. cap — a hat
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. bark — to shout
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. degree — an amount
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bark — of a tree

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