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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.

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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: squash · degree · lie · calf · sharp · lean · bark · rock

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. degree — temperature
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rock — music
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lean — to bend
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. lean — thin

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