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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. club — a group
  3. degree — temperature
  4. hand — help
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. degree — from a university
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. tube — a container
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. club — for golf
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. hand — in cards
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. degree — an amount
  18. club — for dancing
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. tube — the underground

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