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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · track · degree · spell · bank · kid · safe · sharp

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. spell — a short time
  5. degree — an amount
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. bank — of a river
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — magic
  16. degree — temperature
  17. kid — child
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bank — for money
  23. track — a path
  24. spell — letters

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