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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. degree — temperature
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lean — to bend
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. wax — to grow
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bulb — for light
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. branch — a division
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. lean — thin
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bulb — for light

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