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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. degree — temperature
  3. net — for catching
  4. plane — a tool
  5. content — the amount
  6. net — in sport
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. fork — in a road
  11. current — electric
  12. suit — clothes
  13. current — happening now
  14. suit — in cards
  15. content — happy
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. current — of water
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pop — to visit
  23. net — after costs
  24. degree — an amount

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