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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 124 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. degree — temperature
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — steady
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. firm — decided
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. degree — an amount
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. firm — a company
  22. bear — the animal
  23. degree — from a university
  24. fan — a supporter

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