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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. face — to confront
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. degree — from a university
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mug — a face
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tube — the underground
  9. degree — temperature
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. degree — an amount
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. club — for dancing
  18. tube — a container
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mark — a trace
  24. club — a group

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