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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. degree — from a university
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. branch — a division
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. court — of law
  16. court — for sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. court — of a king
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  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