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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: row · bowl · swing · current · kid · degree · object · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. swing — music
  3. object — to protest
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. degree — temperature
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. object — an aim
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. degree — from a university
  12. row — a line
  13. object — a thing
  14. row — to paddle
  15. swing — in golf
  16. kid — to tease
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. current — electric
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. swing — to play on
  22. kid — child
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bowl — to roll

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