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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 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. clip — for paper
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. degree — from a university
  7. clip — to cut
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. clip — a video
  11. degree — an amount
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. degree — temperature
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. suit — in cards
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. temple — a place of worship

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