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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: club · can · face · degree · mark · bat · plane · calf

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. club — for dancing
  4. degree — temperature
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bat — the animal
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. club — for golf
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — a tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. calf — of the leg

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