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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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Word bank
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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. degree — an amount
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. game — a match
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rock — music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. degree — temperature
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a skill

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