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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · present · rock · degree · bear · ruler

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. degree — from a university
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. degree — temperature
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. present — a gift
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rock — music
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. present — the time now
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — there

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