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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 124 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — the underground
  7. capital — money
  8. degree — temperature
  9. tube — a container
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. degree — an amount
  12. capital — a city
  13. object — an aim
  14. current — electric
  15. object — a thing
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. object — to protest
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. current — happening now
  23. degree — from a university
  24. current — of water

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