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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: bank · ruler · ball · drill · degree · snap · charge · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a dance
  4. charge — a price
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bank — for money
  7. charge — in control
  8. degree — temperature
  9. snap — to click
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — from a university
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. charge — electricity
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. drill — a practice
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bear — to put up with

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