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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. degree — an amount
  3. kid — child
  4. firm — steady
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. club — a group
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stem — to come from
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. degree — temperature
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. firm — decided
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — to tease
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. club — for golf
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. firm — a company
  22. degree — from a university
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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