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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 · content · plane · fan · bank · saw · bear · mark

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. degree — temperature
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. content — happy
  9. bank — of a river
  10. degree — from a university
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. content — the amount
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. saw — the tool
  22. degree — an amount
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. saw — the 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