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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: ruler · degree · racket · fork · object · cabinet · clip · bear

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. clip — a video
  3. degree — temperature
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. object — an aim
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. clip — to cut
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. clip — for paper
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. degree — an amount
  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