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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: racket · degree · stem · key · plane · object · nail · game

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. degree — from a university
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stem — to come from
  8. degree — an amount
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. key — in music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. object — an aim
  13. game — a match
  14. object — a thing
  15. key — for a lock
  16. degree — temperature
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. plane — a tool
  20. game — wild animals
  21. key — the most important part
  22. object — to protest
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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