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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. court — of a king
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. degree — temperature
  16. cue — a signal
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. degree — an amount
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. season — in sport
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. degree — from a university
  24. snap — to click

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