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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — from a university
  7. pop — to visit
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pop — soda
  12. tear — from crying
  13. firm — decided
  14. bark — to shout
  15. firm — steady
  16. pop — music
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. firm — a company
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. sharp — clever
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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