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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 120 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: suit · nail · degree · sharp · lean · mug · deal · plane

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. mug — a cup
  3. degree — from a university
  4. sharp — clever
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. degree — temperature
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mug — to rob
  10. plane — a tool
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lean — thin
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. degree — an amount
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mug — a face
  24. nail — on a finger

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