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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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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: snap · racket · nail · degree · stem · bound · present · ruler

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. present — a gift
  6. snap — to click
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bound — tied together
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. degree — an amount
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bound — certain
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. stem — to come from
  22. present — the time now
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bound — obliged

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