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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. degree — an amount
  5. root — of a word
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. root — the cause
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — temperature
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mug — to rob
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. pitch — completely
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lie — to recline

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