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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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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: ruler · plane · key · foot · date · calf · mark · degree

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. degree — from a university
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mark — a trace
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. degree — temperature
  14. foot — a measure
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. date — the fruit
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. key — for a lock
  24. calf — a young animal

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