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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: cue · pitcher · branch · foot · wave · saw · kick · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. foot — a measure
  7. branch — a division
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. degree — from a university
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. kick — in football
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cue — a hint
  22. saw — the tool
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pitcher — a jug

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