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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. degree — temperature
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stock — goods
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cold — an illness
  18. degree — from a university
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rock — music
  21. degree — an amount
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stock — shares
  24. ruler — for measuring

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