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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rule — a law
  7. pop — soda
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — a company
  10. cap — a lid
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cap — of ice
  14. degree — temperature
  15. pop — music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stem — to come from
  18. plane — a tool
  19. craft — boats
  20. degree — an amount
  21. rule — government
  22. firm — steady
  23. pop — to visit
  24. firm — decided

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