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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. suit — clothes
  3. degree — temperature
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mate — to breed
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. degree — from a university
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — a list
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mate — a partner
  24. degree — an amount

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