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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. degree — from a university
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. degree — an amount
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. degree — temperature
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. spring — the season
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. arm — a part of something

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