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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. row — a line
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. row — to paddle
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rash — a series
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. degree — from a university
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. tube — a container
  15. degree — an amount
  16. tube — the underground
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. degree — temperature
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rash — on the skin
  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