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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 120 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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. squash — the sport
  5. charge — in control
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. degree — an amount
  8. track — a path
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. track — a song
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. hand — help
  14. charge — electricity
  15. squash — to crush
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. cap — a hat
  18. track — to keep track
  19. degree — from a university
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. charge — a price

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