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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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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: stick · jam · plane · calf · fork · degree · mate · pit

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pit — in a race
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. degree — an amount
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pit — a hole
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mate — a friend
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mate — a partner
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. mate — to breed
  18. degree — from a university
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. degree — temperature
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. plane — in geometry

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