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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · object · fork · toast · leaves · rash · wax · mark

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. degree — from a university
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rash — a series
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. object — to protest
  9. toast — bread
  10. rash — hasty
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. degree — an amount
  23. degree — temperature
  24. rash — on the skin

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