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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 university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. root — of a word
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. degree — temperature
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. degree — an amount
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people
  19. snap — to click
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. file — a tool
  24. ball — a dance

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