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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.

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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: scale · degree · mine · calf · bound · bore · object · cabinet

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. object — an aim
  3. bore — to tire
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. degree — from a university
  9. object — a thing
  10. bound — certain
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. scale — in music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. degree — an amount
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. object — to protest
  19. mine — for digging
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bore — to drill

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