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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: pitcher · band · stick · suit · cell · ruler · degree · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. degree — temperature
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cell — a phone
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. degree — from a university
  14. suit — in cards
  15. season — of the year
  16. suit — to fit
  17. band — a ring
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cell — in biology
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. band — a music group

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