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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fork — in a road
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. degree — temperature
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mug — a face
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bass — low music
  20. fine — high quality
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fine — all right
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. degree — an amount

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