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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: degree · kick · bank · tube · bore · nail · plane · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bank — of a river
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rest — what's left
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — a container
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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