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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lean — thin
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mark — a grade
  6. degree — an amount
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mark — a trace
  10. degree — temperature
  11. chip — to eat
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chip — for betting
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. suit — in cards
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pass — to succeed

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