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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 · plane · charge · toast · stock · perch · date · suit

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stock — shares
  5. degree — temperature
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. toast — bread
  8. stock — goods
  9. degree — an amount
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. suit — in cards
  13. charge — electricity
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. date — the fruit
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. suit — clothes
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. date — on the calendar

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