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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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · degree · jam · calf · object · press · leaves · dip

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. degree — an amount
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. object — to protest
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — to push
  9. degree — temperature
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. press — a publisher
  17. object — an aim
  18. dip — to sink
  19. object — a thing
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. press — newspapers
  24. degree — from a university

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