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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — an amount
  3. rule — government
  4. pound — a weight
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. mark — a grade
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. game — a match
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mark — a trace
  17. firm — decided
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. degree — from a university
  23. rule — a law
  24. mark — to pay attention

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