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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: pitcher · fine · ruler · rush · arm · pound · straw · degree

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pound — a weight
  4. fine — all right
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. degree — temperature
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rush — hurry
  22. degree — an amount
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — to hurry

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