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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: degree · mark · spring · staff · pass · fork · plane · root

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. staff — a stick
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mark — a trace
  9. root — the cause
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. staff — employees
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fork — in a road
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. root — of a word
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. degree — an amount
  21. root — of a plant
  22. degree — temperature
  23. staff — employees
  24. plane — a tool

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