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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. degree — from a university
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. capital — money
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. degree — temperature
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. degree — an amount
  20. capital — a city
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mouse — the animal

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