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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. suit — clothes
  3. shower — rain
  4. degree — from a university
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. shower — to wash
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stock — shares
  21. stem — to come from
  22. degree — an amount
  23. suit — to fit
  24. degree — temperature

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