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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: cap · nail · bound · mark · scale · firm · jam · degree

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mark — a grade
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cap — of ice
  6. scale — size or range
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. degree — an amount
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. degree — temperature
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bound — obliged
  19. degree — from a university
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. firm — steady
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bound — certain

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