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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. lie — to recline
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ground — the earth
  18. degree — from a university
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bowl — a dish

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