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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. race — humankind
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. degree — an amount
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. race — the arms race
  9. object — an aim
  10. tube — a container
  11. race — a contest
  12. degree — temperature
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. object — a thing
  15. game — wild animals
  16. stem — to come from
  17. object — to protest
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. game — a match

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