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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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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: mouse · ruler · firm · mine · arm · degree · dip · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. firm — decided
  3. degree — from a university
  4. firm — steady
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. firm — a company
  16. degree — an amount
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. degree — temperature
  20. mine — for digging
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mouse — 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