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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 120 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: bear · file · mark · degree · craft · bass · stock · ruler

  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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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. mark — a grade
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stock — goods
  7. degree — temperature
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bass — the fish
  11. file — a document
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. craft — boats
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. stock — shares
  23. file — a tool
  24. bass — low music

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