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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. squash — the sport
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. squash — to crush
  11. degree — from a university
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. roll — a list
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — temperature
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. patient — a sick person

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