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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.

Make a worksheet

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: branch · bay · content · fan · cabinet · wax · key · degree

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. branch — a division
  3. degree — an amount
  4. key — in music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. degree — from a university
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — happy
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wax — to grow
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. key — the most important part

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