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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. degree — an amount
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wax — to grow
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. net — in sport
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. craft — a skill
  15. net — for catching
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. degree — from a university
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. net — after costs

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