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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: hide · rash · staff · wax · degree · leaves · date · foot

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. foot — a measure
  3. rash — a series
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. staff — a stick
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. staff — employees
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. degree — from a university
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. staff — employees
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wax — to grow
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. degree — an amount
  22. rash — hasty
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wax — for sculpting

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