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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: plane · row · deal · degree · kick · staff · fall · pitcher

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. staff — employees
  4. kick — in football
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. deal — to handle
  7. staff — a stick
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. row — to paddle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. plane — a tool
  14. degree — an amount
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. degree — from a university
  18. row — a line
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. degree — temperature
  22. staff — employees
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fall — to drop

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