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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: degree · date · bowl · leaves · arm · bank · saw · bore

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. date — the fruit
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bore — to drill
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bank — of a river
  16. saw — the tool
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bore — to tire
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bank — for money
  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