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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: roll · bowl · firm · degree · dip · pop · cap · key

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pop — to visit
  3. degree — temperature
  4. firm — decided
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. degree — an amount
  7. pop — music
  8. cap — a hat
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pop — soda
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — of ice
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. key — in music
  24. bowl — a football final

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