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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — steady
  4. march — music
  5. degree — an amount
  6. tube — a container
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. march — the month
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. game — wild animals
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. degree — temperature
  13. firm — a company
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. degree — from a university
  16. charge — a price
  17. pass — a permit
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. game — a match
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. march — the month

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