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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. degree — an amount
  3. land — a country
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. degree — temperature
  9. land — to come down
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. chip — for betting
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. land — ground
  18. branch — a division
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wax — to grow

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