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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. march — the month
  3. degree — an amount
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. march — music
  7. degree — temperature
  8. last — final
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. plane — a tool
  12. club — a group
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — to recline
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. club — for golf
  18. degree — from a university
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. club — for dancing
  23. present — the time now
  24. leaves — of a tree

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