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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: pass · calf · degree · spell · present · swing · track · hide

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. track — a song
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. track — a path
  5. spell — letters
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. degree — temperature
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pass — a permit
  13. spell — magic
  14. present — there
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. track — to keep track
  17. spell — a short time
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. present — a gift
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. present — the time now

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