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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 120 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bank — for money
  6. foot — a measure
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. straw — a straw man

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