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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: calf · degree · jam · file · stand · tube · stick · perch

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. degree — an amount
  7. file — a document
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — the underground
  13. file — a line of people
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. tube — a container
  18. file — a tool
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. degree — temperature
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. degree — from a university

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