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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: face · bass · pound · ruler · mouse · degree · pop · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. face — to point toward
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. degree — an amount
  5. pound — a weight
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pop — music
  9. face — part of the head
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. face — to confront
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bass — the fish
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pop — soda
  20. bass — low music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. ruler — for measuring

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