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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. row — to paddle
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. tube — a container
  7. degree — an amount
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. degree — temperature
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. degree — from a university
  12. toast — bread
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. present — there
  17. row — a line
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. plane — a tool
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. tube — the underground
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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