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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.

Words on the sheet
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: ball · dip · racket · degree · ruler · mug · cabinet · lie

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mug — a face
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. degree — an amount
  10. lie — to recline
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. degree — temperature
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. racket — for tennis
  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