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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. current — happening now
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. current — of water
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rush — hurry
  14. degree — an amount
  15. firm — decided
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. current — electric
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — a company
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lean — to bend
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. lean — thin

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