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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: ruler · degree · object · wave · squash · rule · temple · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. squash — the sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. degree — temperature
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. degree — from a university
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rule — government
  14. object — a thing
  15. fall — the season
  16. rule — a law
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. degree — an amount
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. object — to protest
  23. fall — to drop
  24. object — an aim

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