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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: degree · leaves · kick · mine · ball · calf · dip · fork

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. kick — in football
  6. fork — in a road
  7. degree — an amount
  8. ball — a great time
  9. degree — temperature
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. degree — from a university
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. dip — to sink
  24. mine — belonging to me

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