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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 120 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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. track — a path
  3. degree — from a university
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. track — a song
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. key — in music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. track — to keep track
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — thin
  22. degree — an amount
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lean — to bend

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