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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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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: degree · suit · stick · track · ground · pitcher · ruler · pop

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. track — a song
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pop — music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. degree — from a university
  8. ground — crushed
  9. degree — an amount
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. track — a path
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pop — soda
  20. track — to keep track
  21. degree — temperature
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ground — a position

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