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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: arm · racket · degree · net · board · mug · scale · plane

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. degree — from a university
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. scale — in music
  13. plane — a tool
  14. degree — an amount
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. degree — temperature
  20. scale — size or range
  21. net — in sport
  22. board — to get on
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. board — a committee

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