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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tear — from crying
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — in music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. degree — an amount
  12. tear — from crying
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. tear — to rip

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