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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: can · firm · bark · shower · degree · ruler · craft · game

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. game — a match
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. degree — temperature
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. bark — to shout
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. firm — a company
  18. can — a tin
  19. degree — from a university
  20. shower — to wash
  21. can — to be able to
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. can — a tin

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