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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. spell — a short time
  3. degree — from a university
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spell — letters
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — an amount
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. track — a path
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. spell — magic
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. firm — steady
  18. track — to keep track
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — decided
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. track — a song
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. firm — a company

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