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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 116 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 ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. degree — an amount
  5. root — of a plant
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. root — the cause
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. club — for golf
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. degree — from a university
  17. club — a group
  18. degree — temperature
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. press — to push
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. root — of a word
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mine — an explosive

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