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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: root · wax · branch · date · degree · saw · plane · coach

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. degree — temperature
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wax — to grow
  6. root — the cause
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. degree — from a university
  11. root — of a word
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. degree — an amount
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. saw — the tool

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