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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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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 · race · temple · mouse · coach · nail · bore · capital

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. degree — from a university
  4. bore — to drill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. race — humankind
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. capital — a city
  17. race — a contest
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — money
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. race — the arms race
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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