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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lie — to recline
  3. deal — to handle
  4. degree — an amount
  5. root — of a word
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. band — a music group
  14. root — the cause
  15. degree — from a university
  16. firm — steady
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. band — a ring
  19. firm — decided
  20. root — of a plant
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. degree — temperature
  23. firm — a company
  24. band — a rubber band

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