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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 · foot · nail · wave · rock · coach · stock · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rock — a stone
  6. degree — temperature
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. degree — from a university
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. degree — an amount
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — music
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ruler — for measuring

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