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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — of the year
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fall — to drop
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fall — the season
  16. mug — to rob
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fall — to drop
  20. last — finally
  21. chip — to eat
  22. last — to go on
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. last — final

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