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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. degree — an amount
  3. dip — to sink
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bass — the fish
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. degree — from a university
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. firm — steady
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bass — low music
  16. plane — a tool
  17. toast — bread
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. degree — temperature
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. firm — decided
  24. plane — an aircraft

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