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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: lean · mark · leaves · racket · temple · calf · stand · degree

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. degree — an amount
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mark — a grade
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lean — thin
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — temperature
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — to bear
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. temple — a place of worship

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