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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — steady
  4. key — for a lock
  5. degree — an amount
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. degree — temperature
  11. firm — a company
  12. kick — in football
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. firm — decided
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. key — in music
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. leaves — to go away

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