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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
468
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: spell · press · capital · plane · trunk · degree · deal · rock

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. plane — a tool
  3. spell — letters
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. degree — an amount
  6. press — newspapers
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. spell — magic
  10. press — a publisher
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. capital — money
  15. deal — to handle
  16. press — to push
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — from a university
  19. rock — music
  20. capital — a city
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. trunk — of a car

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