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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 116 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: pass · cap · spell · degree · rule · track · plane · rest

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cap — a lid
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. spell — letters
  8. track — a path
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rest — what's left
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rest — a break
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rule — government
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rule — a law
  19. spell — magic
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. track — a song
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. degree — from a university

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