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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 116 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: game · can · firm · degree · lean · fine · pound · nail

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. degree — temperature
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. fine — all right
  7. degree — an amount
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. degree — from a university
  10. fine — high quality
  11. game — a match
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. lean — thin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pound — a weight
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. can — a tin
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. fine — a penalty

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