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

Word bank: ruler · cabinet · club · degree · bear · fine

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. club — for golf
  4. degree — an amount
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. club — a group
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. degree — from a university
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. degree — temperature

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