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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: court · staff · patient · present · bay · plane · squash · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. staff — employees
  3. degree — an amount
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. court — of law
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. present — the time now
  10. court — of a king
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. court — for sport
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. present — there
  20. plane — a tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. squash — to crush
  23. degree — from a university
  24. present — a gift

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