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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pop — music
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. degree — from a university
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. can — a tin
  14. pop — soda
  15. stem — to come from
  16. can — to be able to
  17. degree — an amount
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. can — a tin
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pound — a weight
  24. degree — temperature

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