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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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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 · dip · saw · nail · rock · mug · sharp · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. degree — temperature
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rock — a stone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — a cup
  9. degree — from a university
  10. mug — a face
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rock — music
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. prune — to trim
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mug — to rob
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. degree — an amount
  24. prune — the fruit

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