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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fork — in a road
  3. charge — in control
  4. degree — temperature
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. last — to go on
  8. lean — to bend
  9. charge — a price
  10. degree — from a university
  11. last — finally
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. last — final
  14. charge — electricity
  15. plane — a tool
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bass — low music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lean — thin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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