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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · object · clip · degree · spell · charge · fall · ruler

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — an amount
  3. object — a thing
  4. clip — for paper
  5. spell — a short time
  6. clip — a video
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. clip — to cut
  11. fall — the season
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. fall — to drop
  15. object — an aim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — letters
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spell — magic
  21. fall — to drop
  22. degree — from a university
  23. object — to protest
  24. ball — a dance

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