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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — after costs
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. degree — from a university
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lie — to recline
  11. degree — temperature
  12. staff — a stick
  13. swing — to play on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. net — in sport
  17. scale — in music
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. swing — music
  20. staff — employees
  21. net — for catching
  22. degree — an amount
  23. swing — in golf
  24. staff — employees

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