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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 116 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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. firm — steady
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. plane — a tool
  6. degree — temperature
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. present — a gift
  10. rash — a series
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — to confront
  13. firm — decided
  14. face — to point toward
  15. degree — from a university
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. present — the time now
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. face — part of the head
  21. degree — an amount
  22. firm — a company
  23. rash — hasty
  24. present — there

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