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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bound — obliged
  4. track — a song
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. ball — a dance
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. degree — an amount
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bound — tied together
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bound — certain
  18. saw — the tool
  19. track — a path
  20. degree — temperature
  21. degree — from a university
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ball — a round shape
  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