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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. suit — to fit
  6. degree — temperature
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. degree — from a university
  9. band — a music group
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. squash — the sport
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. suit — clothes
  16. squash — to crush
  17. degree — an amount
  18. stand — to bear
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. band — a ring
  21. suit — in cards
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. wave — of the sea

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