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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: mine · pound · track · degree · plane · mark · bulb · rash

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rash — hasty
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rash — a series
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pound — a weight
  13. degree — an amount
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. track — a path
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. track — a song
  24. degree — temperature

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