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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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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: net · key · rule · temple · toast · bay · calf · degree

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. rule — a law
  3. degree — temperature
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. net — in sport
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rule — government
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. key — in music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. degree — from a university
  18. net — for catching
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. key — for a lock
  22. net — after costs
  23. key — the most important part
  24. toast — the most admired

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