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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: key · board · degree · calf · mouse · pop · patient · rush

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pop — music
  6. rush — hurry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pop — to visit
  9. key — for a lock
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. board — to get on
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pop — soda
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mouse — the animal

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