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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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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: bowl · tube · dip · degree · firm · bear · chest · key

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. key — the most important part
  3. chest — of your body
  4. firm — steady
  5. dip — to sink
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. firm — a company
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. tube — a container
  12. bear — the animal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. chest — a box
  19. degree — an amount
  20. chest — of your body
  21. firm — decided
  22. key — in music
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bear — the animal

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