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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. firm — steady
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. date — the fruit
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. firm — a company
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. degree — an amount
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. club — a group
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. degree — from a university
  21. club — for dancing
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. firm — decided
  24. club — for golf

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