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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: degree · net · bulb · saw · nail · foot · pop · jam

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. degree — from a university
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pop — music
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — temperature
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — soda
  14. net — in sport
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. net — for catching
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. net — after costs
  21. pop — to visit
  22. degree — an amount
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bulb — for light

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