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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: racket · scale · content · plane · toast · saw · current · degree

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. degree — temperature
  4. current — happening now
  5. degree — from a university
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — of water
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. scale — in music
  10. current — electric
  11. scale — size or range
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. toast — bread
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. saw — the tool
  23. degree — an amount
  24. plane — in geometry

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