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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.

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: foot · degree · temple · coach · bore · nail · stock · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pound — a weight
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bore — to drill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. degree — temperature
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. degree — an amount
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bore — to tire
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stock — goods
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. foot — a measure
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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