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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.

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: game · branch · key · ruler · ball · fine · lie · degree

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ball — a great time
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ball — a dance
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. game — wild animals
  10. degree — an amount
  11. branch — a division
  12. degree — from a university
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. degree — temperature
  15. key — for a lock
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fine — all right
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — a monarch

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