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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · suit · staff · degree · content · ruler

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. degree — temperature
  4. object — an aim
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — a thing
  7. suit — in cards
  8. staff — employees
  9. content — happy
  10. degree — from a university
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. object — to protest
  13. degree — an amount
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. content — the amount
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick

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