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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. degree — from a university
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rest — a break
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rock — music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. board — to get on
  12. shower — rain
  13. degree — temperature
  14. board — a committee
  15. degree — an amount
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rest — what's left
  22. shower — to wash
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. plane — an aircraft

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