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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. tear — from crying
  4. firm — decided
  5. net — in sport
  6. degree — temperature
  7. firm — steady
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bear — the animal
  10. firm — a company
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. net — for catching
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — the season
  15. net — after costs
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. spring — of water
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. degree — an amount
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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