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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: degree · pitcher · fan · ruler · mark · bowl · straw · key

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. degree — an amount
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. key — in music
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. degree — from a university
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. degree — temperature
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. key — for a lock

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