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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. degree — temperature
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cue — a signal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stock — shares
  14. saw — the tool
  15. object — a thing
  16. degree — from a university
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stock — goods
  20. bulb — for light
  21. object — an aim
  22. wound — an injury
  23. object — to protest
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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