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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.

Make a worksheet

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: degree · dip · track · pitcher · bay · squash · temple · nail

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. degree — from a university
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. squash — the sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. track — a song
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. dip — to sink
  15. squash — to crush
  16. track — a path
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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