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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. degree — temperature
  3. dip — to sink
  4. degree — an amount
  5. ground — crushed
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. staff — employees
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. game — wild animals
  11. ground — a position
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. staff — a stick
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fine — all right
  20. staff — employees
  21. fine — high quality
  22. chip — for betting
  23. game — a match
  24. nail — for a hammer

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