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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: staff · pop · date · bay · pitcher · land · ruler · degree

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. pop — music
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. land — to come down
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — temperature
  20. pop — soda
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pop — to visit
  23. staff — employees
  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