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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: temple · ruler · bowl · wake · deal · degree

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. degree — from a university
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. degree — temperature
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. degree — an amount
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ruler — for measuring

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