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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: temple · cap · stock · pound · ruler · cabinet · degree · leaves

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stock — goods
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stock — shares
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cap — a hat
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. degree — from a university
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cap — of ice
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cap — a lid

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