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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: face · ground · plane · pit · pass · degree · can · perch

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. degree — an amount
  3. can — to be able to
  4. face — part of the head
  5. plane — a tool
  6. can — a tin
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ground — crushed
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ground — the earth
  13. degree — temperature
  14. ground — a position
  15. pit — a hole
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. degree — from a university
  18. can — a tin
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. face — to point toward
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. face — to confront

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