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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: degree · can · pit · lean · fan · dip · land · leaves

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. can — a tin
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pit — a hole
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. can — to be able to
  10. land — ground
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — an amount
  13. lean — thin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — in a race
  16. can — a tin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. land — a country
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. degree — temperature
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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