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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cue — a signal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. degree — from a university
  7. present — a gift
  8. march — music
  9. mug — to rob
  10. present — there
  11. toast — bread
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. march — the month
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mug — a face
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — the time now
  22. cue — a hint
  23. plane — a tool
  24. march — the month

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