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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. degree — temperature
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. degree — from a university
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. club — a group
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. sharp — clever
  16. degree — an amount
  17. stem — to come from
  18. club — for golf
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. club — for dancing
  24. suit — in cards

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