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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. clip — a video
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mate — a friend
  14. degree — from a university
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. clip — for paper
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. degree — temperature
  20. mate — to breed
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. clip — to cut
  23. kick — in football
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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