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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: degree · stick · scale · rock · land · net · fine · tube

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. land — to come down
  4. degree — temperature
  5. rock — a stone
  6. net — for catching
  7. scale — size or range
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. tube — the underground
  11. scale — in music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. land — a country
  14. net — after costs
  15. tube — a container
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. net — in sport
  18. degree — an amount
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fine — high quality
  21. land — ground
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. rock — music
  24. fine — all right

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