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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: degree · field · content · suit · capital · ruler · pit · craft

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. degree — from a university
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. suit — clothes
  8. capital — a city
  9. pit — a hole
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. craft — boats
  12. suit — in cards
  13. degree — an amount
  14. pit — in a race
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. content — happy
  17. field — for sport
  18. degree — temperature
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — a skill
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. capital — money
  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