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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: patient · cue · calf · degree · squash · bear · kick · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cue — a signal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — from a university
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cap — of ice
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. squash — the sport
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cap — a hat
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. kick — in football
  24. bear — to put up with

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