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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. degree — temperature
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. suit — in cards
  7. board — to get on
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. board — a committee
  12. season — in sport
  13. drill — a practice
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — army training
  16. degree — an amount
  17. season — of the year
  18. kick — in football
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. suit — clothes
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. degree — from a university
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. drill — the tool

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