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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: degree · plane · stand · bowl · bass · bulb · stick · ground

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bass — low music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — temperature
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ground — a position
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bass — the fish

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