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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.

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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: ball · wound · degree · calf · hide · temple · sharp · fork

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. wound — an injury
  3. degree — an amount
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — clever
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. fork — in a road
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. degree — from a university
  22. wound — an injury
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. temple — a place of worship

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