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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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lean — thin
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. suit — to fit
  10. squash — the sport
  11. net — after costs
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. net — for catching
  16. suit — clothes
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. suit — in cards
  20. dip — to sink
  21. net — in sport
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. degree — from a university
  24. dip — to dunk

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