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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.

Make a worksheet

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: degree · mark · temple · pitcher · racket · bear · plane · face

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bear — the animal
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. degree — from a university
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. degree — an amount
  18. face — to confront
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. plane — a tool
  21. degree — temperature
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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