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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rock — a stone
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. degree — temperature
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rock — music
  12. deal — to handle
  13. date — the fruit
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. degree — from a university
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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