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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 120 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: rash · pit · degree · tube · board · ruler · spell · perch

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. degree — temperature
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. spell — letters
  7. tube — the underground
  8. board — a committee
  9. spell — magic
  10. pit — a hole
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rash — a series
  14. tube — a container
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pit — in a race
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rash — hasty
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. perch — for a bird

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