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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. degree — from a university
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bank — of a river
  6. deal — to handle
  7. degree — temperature
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. degree — an amount
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bank — for money
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rock — music
  24. cap — a lid

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