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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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Word bank
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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. object — to protest
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — an aim
  9. dip — to sink
  10. degree — an amount
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pop — music
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. object — a thing
  16. staff — employees
  17. content — the amount
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. degree — from a university
  23. content — happy
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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