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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · tube · lie · net · dip · degree · stem · arm

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. degree — temperature
  3. net — in sport
  4. lie — to recline
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tube — a container
  13. degree — from a university
  14. suit — in cards
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. tube — the underground
  18. degree — an amount
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stem — a stem cell

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