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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wind — moving air
  9. degree — temperature
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — to get on
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bound — obliged
  20. board — a committee
  21. degree — from a university
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. degree — an amount
  24. fan — a supporter

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