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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 116 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 my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. land — to come down
  4. bank — for money
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. key — the most important part
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. key — for a lock
  11. land — a country
  12. rule — a law
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — from a university
  15. rule — government
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bank — for money
  20. land — ground
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rush — hurry
  24. key — in music

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