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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: fine · dip · spell · object · degree · mine · date · vault

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. spell — a short time
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fine — high quality
  5. spell — letters
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. spell — magic
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. object — a thing
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. degree — from a university
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. object — to protest
  17. degree — an amount
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fine — all right
  20. mine — for digging
  21. date — the fruit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. degree — temperature

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