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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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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: rest · degree · calf · key · bear · mate · ball · jam

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. degree — temperature
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. ball — a dance
  7. degree — an amount
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. key — the most important part
  15. degree — from a university
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mate — a partner
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rest — a break

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