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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: deal · dip · lean · fan · bore · degree · fork · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. degree — temperature
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. dip — to sink
  13. degree — from a university
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. degree — an amount
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lean — thin
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fan — a supporter

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