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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: lean · racket · pitcher · net · nail · current · ground · degree

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ground — crushed
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. current — happening now
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. degree — an amount
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. current — of water
  13. degree — temperature
  14. lean — thin
  15. ground — a position
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. current — electric
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lean — to bend
  24. degree — from a university

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