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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
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: spell · degree · pitch · bank · calf · patient · track · arm

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. degree — temperature
  3. spell — letters
  4. track — a path
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. track — to keep track
  11. degree — an amount
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — of a river
  14. degree — from a university
  15. track — a song
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. spell — magic
  24. patient — a sick person

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