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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 geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. march — music
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — in cards
  9. degree — from a university
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. plane — a tool
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. march — the month
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — an amount
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. sharp — clever
  20. suit — to fit
  21. degree — temperature
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bulb — for light

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