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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 116 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 · wave · rule · prune · current · dip · lean · plane

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. lean — thin
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rule — a law
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. current — happening now
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. prune — to trim
  16. degree — from a university
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rule — government
  19. prune — to trim
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. degree — temperature
  22. plane — a tool
  23. degree — an amount
  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