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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · degree · nail · deal · firm · fine · wake · game

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. sharp — clever
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — steady
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — to handle
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. degree — an amount
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. firm — a company
  21. game — a match
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fine — all right
  24. degree — from a university

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