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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: calf · wave · fine · degree · pitcher · rock · saw · march

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. degree — an amount
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rock — music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. degree — temperature
  8. march — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fine — all right
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. march — the month
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — a stone
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. degree — from a university
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. march — the month

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