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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · cap · degree · pass · ruler · jam

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. degree — temperature
  7. cap — a lid
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. degree — from a university
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pass — to succeed

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