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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. branch — a division
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ground — the earth
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bore — to tire
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. degree — an amount
  14. ground — crushed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. degree — from a university
  17. tube — a container
  18. ground — a position
  19. bank — for money
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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