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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. key — the most important part
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. spell — a short time
  8. branch — a division
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lean — thin
  12. key — in music
  13. degree — temperature
  14. spell — magic
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. key — for a lock
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. degree — from a university
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. degree — an amount
  23. spell — letters
  24. branch — of a bank

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