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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: degree · plane · dip · object · arm · net · bass · last

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. plane — a tool
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bass — the fish
  5. degree — from a university
  6. last — final
  7. bass — low music
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. object — a thing
  10. last — finally
  11. net — in sport
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. object — to protest
  14. degree — temperature
  15. object — an aim
  16. degree — an amount
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. last — to go on
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. net — for catching
  24. arm — part of the body

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