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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: nail · saw · bay · squash · ball · degree · season · rest

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ball — a dance
  5. squash — to crush
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. degree — from a university
  8. season — in sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — a break
  11. season — of the year
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rest — what's left
  18. saw — the tool
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rest — what's left
  24. saw — the tool

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