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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. clip — for paper
  4. shower — rain
  5. board — a committee
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ball — a great time
  8. board — to get on
  9. clip — a video
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. degree — an amount
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — temperature
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. clip — to cut
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. shower — to wash
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pass — a permit
  24. board — a flat piece

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