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

Word bank: pass · fork · foot · wave · degree · bear · swing · branch

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. degree — from a university
  6. swing — in golf
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bear — the animal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fork — in a road
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. degree — temperature
  16. swing — music
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. swing — to play on
  19. branch — a division
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. degree — an amount
  24. fork — to eat with

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