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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.

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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: stick · bear · degree · rule · lie · racket

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. degree — an amount
  9. rule — government
  10. degree — from a university
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lie — to recline
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. racket — for tennis

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