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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wound — an injury
  6. hand — help
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. degree — temperature
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wound — an injury
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rock — music
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. degree — from a university
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. hand — in cards

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