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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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468
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 · fine · degree · pass · bear · prune · mate · stock

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mate — to breed
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stock — goods
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stock — shares
  11. prune — to trim
  12. degree — temperature
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. degree — from a university
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bear — the animal
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fine — all right
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pass — a permit

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