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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mug — to rob
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bulb — for light
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mug — a cup
  11. swing — music
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bulb — for light
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. plane — a tool
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mug — a face
  21. chair — a leader
  22. degree — from a university
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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