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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: nail · mine · cue · kick · degree · bulb · prune · mouse

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kick — in football
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cue — a signal
  12. degree — from a university
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mine — for digging
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. kick — a thrill

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