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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: degree · mate · stand · craft · pitch · ruler

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. craft — boats
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pitch — completely
  9. degree — from a university
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. degree — an amount
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. degree — temperature
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mate — to breed

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