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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: ruler · mug · degree · tube · ball · cell · can · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. can — a tin
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. can — a tin
  6. tube — the underground
  7. degree — temperature
  8. mug — a face
  9. cell — a phone
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. degree — an amount
  16. ball — a dance
  17. tube — a container
  18. mug — to rob
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cell — in biology
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. degree — from a university
  23. ball — a great time
  24. can — to be able to

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