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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 124 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
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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: calf · suit · pop · roll · board · degree · wind · squash

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — music
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. suit — to fit
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — an amount
  15. pop — soda
  16. degree — temperature
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pop — to visit
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. roll — a list
  24. degree — from a university

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