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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. degree — an amount
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. rock — music
  16. cell — a phone
  17. plane — a tool
  18. degree — from a university
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. degree — temperature
  23. rock — a stone
  24. plane — an aircraft

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