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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: lie · degree · suit · club · tube · foot · wound · row

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. club — a group
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. degree — from a university
  6. foot — a measure
  7. club — for golf
  8. row — to paddle
  9. degree — temperature
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wound — an injury
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wound — an injury
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. degree — an amount
  21. row — a line
  22. club — for dancing
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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