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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. board — a committee
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — to get on
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. degree — temperature
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. plane — a tool
  22. degree — from a university
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. plane — in geometry

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