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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: foot · field · degree · cue · ruler · bear · can · present

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. degree — temperature
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bear — the animal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. degree — an amount
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — a measure
  11. can — a tin
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. present — there
  14. field — farmland
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — a subject
  18. present — the time now
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. field — for sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — a gift
  24. degree — from a university

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