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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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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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: spell · bass · degree · chair · calf · root · rest · firm

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rest — what's left
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bass — low music
  7. firm — steady
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. rest — a break
  11. degree — an amount
  12. firm — decided
  13. root — the cause
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bass — the fish
  18. degree — from a university
  19. root — of a word
  20. chair — a leader
  21. firm — a company
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chair — a professorship

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