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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. band — a ring
  10. object — a thing
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. season — in sport
  15. object — an aim
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. band — a music group
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. degree — from a university

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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