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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: mug · fork · calf · deal · degree · spell · pass · nail

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. spell — letters
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. degree — temperature
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. degree — from a university
  11. mug — a face
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fork — in a road
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spell — a short time
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. degree — an amount
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. spell — magic

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