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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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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: dip · degree · mine · nail · cabinet · plane · firm · mate

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mine — for digging
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. firm — a company
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — steady
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. degree — temperature
  17. mate — to breed
  18. plane — a tool
  19. firm — decided
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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