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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 120 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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. degree — temperature
  9. hand — help
  10. face — to point toward
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. can — a tin
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. face — part of the head
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. charge — in control
  21. hand — in cards
  22. can — to be able to
  23. plane — a tool
  24. face — to confront

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