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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: ruler · cue · degree · season · lean · track · spring · wave

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. track — a song
  6. lean — thin
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cue — a hint
  9. degree — temperature
  10. spring — of water
  11. track — a path
  12. degree — from a university
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — in sport
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. spring — the season
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. degree — an amount
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. season — of the year

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