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

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. degree — an amount
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. tube — a container
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. degree — temperature
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. firm — steady
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. firm — a company
  18. plane — a tool
  19. firm — decided
  20. lean — to bend
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. degree — from a university
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pass — to spend time

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