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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: ruler · degree · swing · arm · bound · mug · wave · saw

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mug — a face
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. swing — music
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. swing — to play on
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. degree — temperature
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bound — obliged
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bound — certain

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