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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.

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: vault · firm · dip · land · stick · season · degree · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. degree — temperature
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. season — in sport
  5. game — a match
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. firm — decided
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. season — of the year
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. degree — from a university
  17. firm — steady
  18. land — to come down
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. vault — a safe
  22. degree — an amount
  23. firm — a company
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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