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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rock — music
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. degree — from a university
  18. squash — to crush
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rock — a stone
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — temperature
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mouse — the animal

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