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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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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. firm — a company
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — farmland
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. degree — from a university
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bank — for money
  11. field — for sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wound — an injury
  17. firm — decided
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. degree — an amount
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bank — of a river
  23. firm — steady
  24. wound — an injury

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