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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 120 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
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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: mug · bass · game · ruler · pass · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. degree — an amount
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. game — a match
  13. bass — low music
  14. mug — a face
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pass — a permit

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