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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.

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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. wake — a trail
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — to fit
  5. degree — an amount
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. degree — temperature
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. suit — in cards
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chair — a leader

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