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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. degree — temperature
  3. branch — a division
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. kick — in football
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. can — a tin
  13. degree — an amount
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. degree — from a university
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. wind — moving air
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. leaves — lets stay

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