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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. 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. stand — for spectators
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. degree — an amount
  4. key — in music
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stand — to bear
  11. row — a line
  12. degree — temperature
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. row — to paddle
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. 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