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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.

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: rush · ruler · tube · lie · degree · calf · cell · staff

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. staff — employees
  3. degree — temperature
  4. staff — a stick
  5. tube — a container
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. degree — an amount
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — the underground
  13. staff — employees
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lie — to recline
  21. degree — from a university
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rush — to hurry

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