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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 124 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. degree — temperature
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. object — to protest
  5. plane — a tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. firm — a company
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. charge — in control
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rest — a break
  13. object — an aim
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. degree — from a university
  16. rest — what's left
  17. charge — electricity
  18. firm — decided
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. firm — steady
  21. object — a thing
  22. date — the fruit
  23. degree — an amount
  24. charge — a price

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