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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 116 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: content · lash · degree · pass · track · calf · cue · rule

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. degree — temperature
  3. cue — a hint
  4. content — happy
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. track — a song
  11. content — the amount
  12. rule — government
  13. cue — for pool
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. track — to keep track
  16. degree — from a university
  17. track — a path
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. degree — an amount
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. calf — a young animal

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