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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — music
  3. spell — magic
  4. pass — a permit
  5. spell — letters
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pop — soda
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. degree — temperature
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. firm — steady
  18. degree — from a university
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. spell — a short time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. degree — an amount

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