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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: temple · staff · plane · rash · board · degree · calf · current

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. staff — a stick
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. degree — from a university
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rash — a series
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. board — a committee
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. degree — temperature
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — of water
  17. board — to get on
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. degree — an amount
  20. staff — employees
  21. current — electric
  22. staff — employees
  23. current — happening now
  24. calf — a young animal

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