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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bore — to drill
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. chip — to eat
  20. dip — to sink
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cap — a lid
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cap — a hat

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