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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. degree — an amount
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bass — low music
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bass — the fish
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. game — a match
  13. degree — from a university
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. vault — a safe
  20. game — wild animals
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. degree — temperature

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