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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: sharp · rock · leaves · date · ruler · degree · snap · fork

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. date — the fruit
  8. degree — temperature
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rock — a stone
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rock — music

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