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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: arm · degree · rock · can · nail · ruler · hide · deal

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. can — a tin
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. degree — from a university
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rock — a stone
  14. degree — temperature
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. degree — an amount
  18. can — to be able to
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rock — music
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. can — a tin
  24. hide — animal skin

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