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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. degree — an amount
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rash — hasty
  8. degree — temperature
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. degree — from a university
  13. row — a line
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. rash — a series

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