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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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468
Word bank
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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. degree — from a university
  6. key — the most important part
  7. last — finally
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — in music
  12. degree — temperature
  13. rest — what's left
  14. key — for a lock
  15. last — to go on
  16. rest — a break
  17. degree — an amount
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. last — final
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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