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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. object — to protest
  3. degree — temperature
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. suit — in cards
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. object — a thing
  11. bank — of a river
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. object — an aim
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bank — for money
  16. degree — an amount
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. suit — clothes
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bank — for money
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. degree — from a university

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