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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
468
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: foot · spring · net · saw · bear · degree · mark · ruler

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spring — of water
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. foot — a measure
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mark — a grade
  11. degree — an amount
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — for catching
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. net — in sport
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. degree — temperature
  21. mark — a trace
  22. degree — from a university
  23. net — after costs
  24. bear — the animal

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