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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 116 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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468
Word bank
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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. degree — an amount
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — the cause
  14. fork — in a road
  15. root — of a word
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bank — of a river
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. degree — from a university
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — employees
  24. lash — to lash out

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