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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. degree — an amount
  5. game — wild animals
  6. row — to paddle
  7. degree — temperature
  8. cue — a hint
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cue — for pool
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — a signal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. degree — from a university
  18. game — a match
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — a line
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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