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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: degree · present · fine · deal · mouse · nail · cap · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. deal — to handle
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fine — all right
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cap — a lid
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. degree — from a university
  19. cap — a hat
  20. present — a gift
  21. race — the arms race
  22. fine — high quality
  23. race — a contest
  24. fine — a penalty

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