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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: last · object · leaves · hide · club · degree · ruler · dip

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. last — final
  5. degree — an amount
  6. object — an aim
  7. club — for golf
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. last — to go on
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. object — a thing
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. object — to protest
  23. degree — from a university
  24. last — finally

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