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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. drill — army training
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. degree — from a university
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. degree — temperature
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. current — electric
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. degree — an amount
  16. firm — decided
  17. current — of water
  18. drill — the tool
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. current — happening now
  23. spell — letters
  24. plane — a tool

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