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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 120 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: arm · net · cap · hand · ruler · degree · wave · cue

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. net — after costs
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cap — a hat
  7. degree — temperature
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. degree — from a university
  10. hand — help
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. net — for catching
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. hand — in cards
  20. net — in sport
  21. degree — an amount
  22. cap — a lid
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wave — with your hand

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