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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: can · mug · degree · arm · fine · calf · stand · game

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mug — to rob
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mug — a cup
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mug — a face
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. degree — temperature
  11. fine — all right
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. game — a match
  16. can — a tin
  17. stand — to bear
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. degree — from a university
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. game — wild animals
  24. degree — an amount

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