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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bank — of a river
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rash — hasty
  7. court — of law
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — a measure
  10. court — for sport
  11. degree — from a university
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rash — a series
  14. bank — for money
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bank — for money
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. degree — an amount
  20. court — of a king
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — for sculpting

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