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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: degree · object · temple · staff · nail · bass · rule · racket

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. staff — employees
  3. degree — an amount
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. object — a thing
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. rule — government
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. staff — a stick
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rule — a law
  19. degree — from a university
  20. object — to protest
  21. staff — employees
  22. object — an aim
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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