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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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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 · face · dip · ruler · bound · suit · track · trunk

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. degree — from a university
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. face — to confront
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. dip — to sink
  8. suit — to fit
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. track — a song
  11. degree — an amount
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. track — to keep track
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. suit — in cards
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. face — to point toward
  20. track — a path
  21. face — part of the head
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — obliged

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