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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: face · plane · spell · tube · mouse · fan · season · degree

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. degree — temperature
  4. plane — a tool
  5. face — to confront
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. season — in sport
  9. tube — a container
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. face — part of the head
  12. spell — a short time
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. season — of the year
  21. spell — magic
  22. degree — from a university
  23. tube — the underground
  24. spell — letters

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