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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: pass · ruler · spell · cue · court · degree · object · bowl

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spell — magic
  4. cue — for pool
  5. court — of a king
  6. object — an aim
  7. spell — a short time
  8. degree — from a university
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. spell — letters
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — a hint
  16. degree — an amount
  17. court — of law
  18. degree — temperature
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. object — to protest
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. court — for sport

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