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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pit — in a race
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. spell — letters
  13. stand — to bear
  14. degree — temperature
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. degree — from a university
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. spell — magic
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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