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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: toast · net · degree · plane · field · board · ruler · temple

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. net — in sport
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. field — a subject
  4. degree — temperature
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — for sport
  7. degree — an amount
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. toast — bread
  13. plane — a tool
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. net — for catching
  17. degree — from a university
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. board — to get on
  21. net — after costs
  22. board — a committee
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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