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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. mark — a trace
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. degree — from a university
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cap — a hat
  11. degree — temperature
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mate — to breed
  14. cap — a lid
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mark — a grade
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. branch — a division
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. saw — the tool
  23. degree — an amount
  24. mark — to pay attention

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