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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: cap · ruler · degree · stand · fork · file

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. file — a tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — to bear
  6. file — a document
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. cap — a hat
  17. file — a line of people
  18. fork — in a road

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