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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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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: ruler · degree · vault · wound · foot · band · last · stem

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. degree — temperature
  4. stem — to come from
  5. degree — an amount
  6. wound — an injury
  7. band — a ring
  8. last — finally
  9. last — to go on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wound — an injury
  12. last — final
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. degree — from a university
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. band — a music group
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. foot — a measure
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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