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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — temperature
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. tube — a container
  15. cap — of ice
  16. plane — a tool
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. degree — an amount
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. cap — a hat

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