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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. staff — employees
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pitch — completely
  6. degree — temperature
  7. tube — a container
  8. staff — a stick
  9. degree — an amount
  10. branch — a division
  11. tube — the underground
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. staff — employees
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. degree — from a university

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