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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: calf · key · bear · degree · scale · tube · can · wound

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. can — a tin
  2. key — for a lock
  3. scale — in music
  4. key — in music
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — the animal
  8. scale — size or range
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. degree — from a university
  13. key — the most important part
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. degree — an amount
  19. tube — a container
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wound — an injury
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bear — the animal
  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