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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. key — in music
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. suit — to fit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. degree — an amount
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. field — for sport
  15. branch — a division
  16. key — the most important part
  17. field — a subject
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. suit — clothes
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. field — farmland
  24. key — for a lock

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