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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 116 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 · swing · squash · degree · pound · firm · charge · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. squash — to crush
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. degree — temperature
  8. firm — decided
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. swing — in golf
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — from a university
  14. swing — to play on
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. charge — electricity
  19. swing — music
  20. firm — steady
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. firm — a company
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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