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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 120 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. suit — clothes
  4. degree — an amount
  5. shower — to wash
  6. degree — from a university
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. shower — rain
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. net — in sport
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. degree — temperature
  16. net — for catching
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. net — after costs
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. suit — to fit

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