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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: stick · craft · plane · temple · rush · stand · degree · key

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rush — hurry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. degree — from a university
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. degree — an amount
  12. stand — to bear
  13. craft — a skill
  14. key — for a lock
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. craft — boats
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. key — in music
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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