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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: mug · rule · pitcher · scale · degree · calf · wake · rock

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rule — a law
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mug — a face
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wake — a trail
  18. scale — size or range
  19. degree — an amount
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rock — music
  22. rule — government
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pitcher — a jug

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