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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cue — a hint
  5. degree — an amount
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cell — a phone
  9. club — for dancing
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cue — a signal
  14. club — for golf
  15. object — a thing
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. cue — for pool
  21. club — a group
  22. object — to protest
  23. cell — in biology
  24. current — of water

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