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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.

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: degree · prune · bay · field · calf · net · drill · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. degree — an amount
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. drill — army training
  6. net — for catching
  7. field — farmland
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. degree — temperature
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. field — for sport
  14. drill — a practice
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. degree — from a university
  19. field — a subject
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. net — in sport
  22. prune — to trim
  23. net — after costs
  24. chip — to eat

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