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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.

Make a worksheet

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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — help
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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