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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: fan · ruler · deal · bowl · degree · chip · band · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. chip — to eat
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. degree — an amount
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. chip — for betting
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. fan — a supporter

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