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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: degree · can · squash · temple · lie · band · sharp · plane

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. plane — a tool
  4. sharp — clever
  5. band — a ring
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. can — a tin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — from a university
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. band — a music group
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. degree — an amount
  22. can — to be able to
  23. degree — temperature
  24. lie — to recline

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