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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. march — music
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. key — in music
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. degree — an amount
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. degree — from a university
  14. march — the month
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rush — hurry
  21. degree — temperature
  22. key — the most important part
  23. tube — the underground
  24. key — for a lock

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