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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. suit — clothes
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. march — music
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. plane — a tool
  8. toast — bread
  9. degree — an amount
  10. object — a thing
  11. degree — from a university
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. object — to protest
  15. march — the month
  16. suit — in cards
  17. degree — temperature
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. march — the month
  22. branch — a division
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. suit — to fit

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