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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. degree — from a university
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. last — final
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mate — a friend
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. degree — temperature
  18. last — to go on
  19. lean — thin
  20. toast — bread
  21. last — finally
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — of ice
  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