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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.

Make a worksheet

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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. net — after costs
  6. foot — a measure
  7. mug — a face
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. net — for catching
  11. mug — a cup
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rock — a stone
  14. net — in sport
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mug — to rob
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rock — music

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