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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: degree · kick · arm · calf · rest · spell · board · march

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. march — music
  5. rest — a break
  6. kick — in football
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. degree — temperature
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. spell — magic
  12. march — the month
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. degree — an amount
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rest — what's left
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rest — what's left
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. degree — from a university
  24. arm — a part of something

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