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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: leaves · ruler · net · lie · degree · club · plane · wind

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — a tool
  6. club — for dancing
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lie — to recline
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. net — for catching
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. degree — from a university
  15. wind — moving air
  16. net — after costs
  17. wind — moving air
  18. club — a group
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. club — for golf
  22. degree — an amount
  23. net — in sport
  24. degree — temperature

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