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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · shower · craft · degree · leaves · temple · trunk · rule

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. degree — from a university
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. craft — boats
  13. plane — a tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. degree — an amount

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