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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 120 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: fine · plane · degree · pop · bowl · ball · staff · field

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. plane — a tool
  6. degree — from a university
  7. staff — a stick
  8. field — a subject
  9. staff — employees
  10. pop — music
  11. field — for sport
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. degree — temperature
  14. staff — employees
  15. pop — soda
  16. ball — a great time
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. field — farmland
  21. fine — all right
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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