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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. swing — in golf
  5. band — a music group
  6. stock — shares
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — an amount
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. swing — music
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. band — a ring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — goods
  19. vault — a safe
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. swing — to play on
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. degree — from a university

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