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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. degree — an amount
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. dip — to sink
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — to recline
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. plane — a tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pit — in a race
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — a hole
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. degree — temperature
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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