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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. root — of a word
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. can — to be able to
  5. degree — from a university
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. root — the cause
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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