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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. firm — decided
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. firm — a company
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. degree — an amount
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. hand — help
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. degree — from a university
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. firm — steady

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