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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. scale — in music
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — a company
  9. degree — temperature
  10. firm — decided
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bank — for money
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — of a river
  17. degree — an amount
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ball — a great time
  21. scale — size or range
  22. firm — steady
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ruler — for measuring

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