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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. degree — from a university
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. kid — child
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. kid — to tease
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rule — a law
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. snap — to click
  24. temple — side of the head

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