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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. court — of law
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. pitch — completely
  7. game — a match
  8. court — of a king
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — temperature
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. degree — from a university
  13. court — for sport
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. game — wild animals
  24. ruler — for measuring

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