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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: tear · degree · season · drill · plane · racket · wave · board

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. drill — a practice
  6. tear — from crying
  7. season — of the year
  8. board — to get on
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. degree — temperature
  11. drill — army training
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. tear — to rip
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. tear — from crying
  18. board — a committee
  19. season — in sport
  20. drill — the tool
  21. degree — an amount
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. degree — from a university
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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