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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: prune · degree · mark · file · row · ruler · ball · pass

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. row — a line
  6. mark — a grade
  7. prune — to trim
  8. degree — from a university
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mark — a trace
  11. degree — an amount
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. file — a tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ball — a dance
  18. row — to paddle
  19. prune — to trim
  20. file — a document
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. file — a line of people

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