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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — a permit
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. degree — an amount
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. degree — temperature
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. snap — to click
  17. bulb — for light
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. degree — from a university
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mouse — the animal

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