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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. date — the fruit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. degree — from a university
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. degree — an amount
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pound — a weight
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. degree — temperature
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. field — a subject
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — for sport
  24. object — to protest

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