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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chest — of your body
  4. degree — from a university
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rest — a break
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. chest — a box
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. degree — temperature
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. degree — an amount
  17. rest — what's left
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. plane — a tool
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pitch — completely

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