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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mark — a grade
  5. hand — help
  6. face — to point toward
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cap — a hat
  11. degree — temperature
  12. face — to confront
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hand — in cards
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — of ice
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. degree — an amount

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