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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: suit · mug · bulb · dip · jam · fork · face · degree

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. suit — to fit
  4. face — to confront
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. degree — an amount
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — in cards
  11. face — part of the head
  12. dip — to sink
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. degree — from a university
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mug — to rob
  21. degree — temperature
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fork — in a road

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