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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: fine · dip · chip · lie · degree · drill · rest · pass

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. degree — temperature
  3. chip — to eat
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rest — a break
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. degree — an amount
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pass — a permit
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. fine — high quality
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fine — all right
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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