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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: plane · band · mate · fan · degree · prune · stick · track

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. plane — a tool
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mate — a friend
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. track — to keep track
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mate — to breed
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. band — a music group
  17. degree — an amount
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mate — a partner
  23. degree — from a university
  24. band — a ring

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