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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 116 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 · hand · bowl · mate · tear · degree · wave · fan

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mate — to breed
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mate — a partner
  8. degree — from a university
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. degree — temperature
  15. mate — a friend
  16. hand — help
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. degree — an amount

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