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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. suit — in cards
  5. net — in sport
  6. degree — an amount
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. row — a line
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. net — after costs
  11. mark — a grade
  12. row — to paddle
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. degree — from a university
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — a trace
  17. net — for catching
  18. degree — temperature
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hand — help
  24. suit — to fit

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