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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: racket · rule · object · ruler · game · degree · board · calf

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. object — a thing
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. game — a match
  6. board — a committee
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. degree — temperature
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. object — to protest
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — government
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. degree — an amount
  21. object — an aim
  22. board — to get on
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. game — wild animals

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