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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: roll · ruler · cap · staff · pitch · saw · degree · object

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pitch — completely
  4. object — to protest
  5. saw — the tool
  6. object — a thing
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. roll — a cake
  9. cap — a hat
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. degree — temperature
  15. staff — employees
  16. object — an aim
  17. roll — a list
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. staff — employees
  20. cap — of ice
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. cap — a lid
  24. roll — on a roll

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