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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. board — to get on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — money
  10. dip — to sink
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. capital — a city
  14. degree — an amount
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. suit — clothes
  20. degree — temperature
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. degree — from a university
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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