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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: dip · firm · saw · degree · game · trunk · bowl · calf

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. firm — a company
  8. game — wild animals
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. firm — decided
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. degree — from a university
  14. firm — steady
  15. game — a match
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. degree — temperature

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