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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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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 · board · chip · temple · arm · fall · dip · degree

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. chip — for betting
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. degree — from a university
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. board — to get on
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fall — the season
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. board — a committee
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fall — to drop
  23. degree — temperature
  24. dip — to sink

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