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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. degree — an amount
  4. cap — of ice
  5. board — a committee
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cap — a lid
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. track — a path
  12. cap — a hat
  13. track — to keep track
  14. board — to get on
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. craft — boats
  20. branch — a division
  21. scale — in music
  22. track — a song
  23. scale — size or range
  24. craft — a skill

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