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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: tube · pass · root · dip · net · bay · swing · lie

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. net — in sport
  3. root — the cause
  4. pass — a permit
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. swing — to play on
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. swing — music
  12. net — after costs
  13. root — of a plant
  14. tube — a container
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. swing — in golf
  20. lie — to recline
  21. net — for catching
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. root — of a word
  24. lie — an untruth

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