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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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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: arm · mouse · bass · fork · degree · tear · ruler · cue

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bass — low music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. degree — an amount
  22. tear — to rip
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. degree — temperature

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