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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bore — to drill
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. degree — temperature
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — a list
  15. wake — a trail
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wound — an injury
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. degree — from a university
  21. club — for golf
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bore — to tire
  24. degree — an amount

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