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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 116 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: degree · ruler · suit · trunk · stick · mine · shower · ground

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. suit — in cards
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — from a university
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. shower — to wash
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — rain
  20. mine — for digging
  21. degree — temperature
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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