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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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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: pit · leaves · fine · mug · degree · ruler · foot · vault

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. degree — temperature
  5. foot — a measure
  6. fine — all right
  7. mug — a face
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mug — to rob
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. degree — from a university
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fine — high quality
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. degree — an amount
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mug — a cup
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. leaves — lets stay

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