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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bass — low music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. degree — an amount
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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