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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: board · mark · stem · jam · ruler · degree · leaves · pitcher

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. degree — from a university
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — a grade
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. degree — temperature
  16. board — to get on
  17. degree — an amount
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. board — a committee
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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