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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 · trunk · degree · bass · rash · fork · board · saw

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. board — to get on
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rash — a series
  7. bass — the fish
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. fork — in a road
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. degree — an amount
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. board — a committee
  18. saw — the tool
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rash — hasty
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bass — low music
  24. leaves — lets stay

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