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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 120 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: drill · cold · bound · degree · calf · mark · ruler · suit

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. degree — temperature
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bound — obliged
  7. drill — army training
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. drill — a practice
  10. suit — clothes
  11. drill — the tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cold — an illness
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cold — not warm
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — certain
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. degree — from a university

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