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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. plane — a tool
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. degree — from a university
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stem — to come from
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mug — to rob
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mug — a cup
  20. degree — an amount
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. toast — bread
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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