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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.

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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: arm · key · capital · degree · rock · ruler · track · suit

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — temperature
  3. track — a path
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rock — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — a city
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. suit — in cards
  15. key — in music
  16. track — to keep track
  17. degree — an amount
  18. track — a song
  19. key — for a lock
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. capital — money
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rock — a stone

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