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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.

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: degree · roll · stick · press · nail · ruler · fan · capital

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. degree — from a university
  5. degree — temperature
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. press — a publisher
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. capital — a city
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. roll — a cake
  17. capital — money
  18. press — to push
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. degree — an amount
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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