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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: deal · degree · coach · nail · bowl · dip · cap · arm

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. dip — to sink
  4. deal — to handle
  5. degree — temperature
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. degree — an amount
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. degree — from a university
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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