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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bat — the animal
  3. net — after costs
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. net — in sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. degree — from a university
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. net — for catching
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bat — for baseball

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