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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · can · calf · degree · current · march · mouse · leaves

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. degree — from a university
  5. march — the month
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. march — the month
  8. current — happening now
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. march — music
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. can — a tin
  16. degree — an amount
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. current — of water
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. current — electric
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. can — a tin
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. can — to be able to

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