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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 116 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: degree · rule · fine · calf · sharp · stock · current · lie

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lie — to recline
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. degree — from a university
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. degree — an amount
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — goods
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. sharp — clever
  13. current — of water
  14. fine — high quality
  15. current — happening now
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — shares
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fine — all right
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. degree — temperature
  24. current — electric

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