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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: plane · toast · stick · fine · chest · degree · can · bear

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bear — the animal
  3. toast — bread
  4. fine — all right
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. can — a tin
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. can — a tin
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. plane — a tool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bear — the animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chest — of your body

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