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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: calf · spell · scale · rule · toast · degree · racket · fine

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. degree — an amount
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. degree — temperature
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. spell — magic
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rule — a law
  14. toast — bread
  15. fine — all right
  16. spell — letters
  17. scale — size or range
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. degree — from a university
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. scale — in music
  23. rule — government
  24. fine — a penalty

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