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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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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: wave · branch · suit · wax · rush · leaves · degree · board

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. board — a committee
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. board — to get on
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. branch — a division
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — temperature
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wax — to grow
  24. suit — in cards

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