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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bore — to tire
  5. swing — music
  6. firm — a company
  7. degree — temperature
  8. charge — a price
  9. firm — decided
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. charge — in control
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. swing — to play on
  14. charge — electricity
  15. firm — steady
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bore — to drill
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. degree — from a university

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