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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.

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 · bear · saw · current · chest · nail · object · cue

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bear — the animal
  3. current — of water
  4. degree — an amount
  5. saw — the tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. current — electric
  9. cue — a signal
  10. chest — of your body
  11. degree — from a university
  12. object — an aim
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. degree — temperature
  15. chest — of your body
  16. current — happening now
  17. chest — a box
  18. saw — the tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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