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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 · pass · leaves · date · saw · degree · bank · arm

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bank — of a river
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — the fruit
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. arm — a part of something

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