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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: firm · fan · fine · tube · bark · degree · pitcher · can

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. degree — temperature
  3. can — a tin
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. degree — an amount
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bark — to shout
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. firm — a company
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. tube — a container
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. tube — the underground
  16. firm — decided
  17. degree — from a university
  18. fine — high quality
  19. can — a tin
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. fine — all right
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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