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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.

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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. track — a song
  3. degree — temperature
  4. track — a path
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. degree — an amount
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. land — ground
  10. branch — a division
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. track — to keep track
  13. land — to come down
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wake — a trail
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. land — a country

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