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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 116 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: rush · present · ruler · bear · leaves · degree · safe · pop

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. degree — an amount
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pop — soda
  5. degree — from a university
  6. present — the time now
  7. pop — to visit
  8. degree — temperature
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. present — there
  12. bear — the animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pop — music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. leaves — of a tree

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