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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — to bear
  6. degree — an amount
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. branch — a division
  14. degree — from a university
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. game — wild animals
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. key — in music
  23. degree — temperature
  24. game — a match

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