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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: firm · degree · ruler · dip · present · lean · tube · spell

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. present — the time now
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. degree — an amount
  9. spell — magic
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. degree — temperature
  12. lean — thin
  13. firm — decided
  14. tube — the underground
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. degree — from a university
  18. tube — a container
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. tube — in a tire

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