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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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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: suit · deal · fork · nail · season · degree · chip · bowl

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chip — to eat
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. chip — for betting
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. degree — an amount
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. season — in sport
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. degree — temperature

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