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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: pit · plane · temple · date · degree · board · rest · can

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — from a university
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. board — a committee
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. degree — temperature
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rest — what's left
  17. plane — a tool
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pit — a hole
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. board — to get on
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. date — the fruit

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