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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. race — humankind
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. dip — to sink
  9. degree — an amount
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. race — the arms race
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. race — a contest
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. dip — to dunk

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