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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: degree · ruler · suit · wind · trunk · drill · key · mouse

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wind — moving air
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. wind — moving air
  19. degree — temperature
  20. suit — clothes
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — in cards
  24. degree — from a university

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