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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 120 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cap — a hat
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — temperature
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bass — low music
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. degree — an amount
  24. cap — a lid

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