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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. spell — a short time
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. spell — magic
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. court — for sport
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. court — of law
  16. bulb — for light
  17. court — of a king
  18. spell — letters
  19. degree — from a university
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. degree — an amount
  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