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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. degree — temperature
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cue — a hint
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rush — hurry
  9. degree — an amount
  10. snap — to click
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — for pool
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bank — for money
  20. shower — rain
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. shower — to wash

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