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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: fine · bear · toast · cap · plane · chair · key · degree

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. degree — from a university
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fine — all right
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. key — for a lock
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cap — a lid
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. key — the most important part
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. toast — bread
  23. cap — of ice
  24. key — in music

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