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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: deal · ruler · march · suit · degree · ball · stand · lash

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. degree — from a university
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. march — the month
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. degree — an amount
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stand — to bear
  12. march — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a dance
  15. degree — temperature
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. suit — clothes
  19. march — the month
  20. deal — to handle
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. ball — a great time

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