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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — government
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — temperature
  7. rule — a law
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — for money
  13. degree — an amount
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bank — for money
  16. swing — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. swing — to play on

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