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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: temple · charge · chest · land · ruler · degree · bay · bass

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chest — a box
  3. degree — from a university
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. chest — of your body
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. chest — of your body
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — a country
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. degree — temperature
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. land — ground
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. charge — a price
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bass — the instrument

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