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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 120 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: stick · nail · row · degree · charge · dip · wind · rush

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. row — a line
  7. dip — to sink
  8. charge — a price
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. charge — in control
  12. wind — moving air
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. row — to paddle
  16. degree — from a university
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. degree — an amount
  23. wind — moving air
  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