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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.

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: bass · degree · bear · mate · can · net · pit · plane

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bear — the animal
  8. degree — an amount
  9. net — for catching
  10. mate — a friend
  11. net — after costs
  12. can — a tin
  13. bear — the animal
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. mate — a partner
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pit — a hole
  23. net — in sport
  24. degree — from a university

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