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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 116 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. net — after costs
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. staff — employees
  6. degree — from a university
  7. stem — to come from
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. staff — a stick
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — in sport
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — temperature
  18. file — a line of people
  19. net — for catching
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. plane — a tool
  22. file — a document
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ruler — for measuring

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