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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. key — in music
  5. squash — to crush
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. track — a song
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. degree — temperature
  10. key — the most important part
  11. plane — a tool
  12. degree — from a university
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rush — hurry
  20. degree — an amount
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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