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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. row — to paddle
  3. prune — to trim
  4. staff — employees
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. degree — temperature
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. staff — a stick
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. plane — a tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bass — low music
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. fall — to drop
  17. row — a line
  18. bass — the fish
  19. degree — an amount
  20. prune — to trim
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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