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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. degree — temperature
  5. chair — a leader
  6. cue — for pool
  7. root — of a plant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — the cause
  10. degree — an amount
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. cue — a signal
  13. degree — from a university
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. root — of a word
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — for a computer

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