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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — temperature
  4. object — a thing
  5. branch — a division
  6. bark — to shout
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. object — an aim
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. plane — a tool
  17. chip — for betting
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. object — to protest
  24. branch — of a tree

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