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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. game — a match
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. game — wild animals
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. degree — temperature
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. degree — from a university
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mouse — the animal

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