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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 · safe · net · branch · temple · hide · bass · wax

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bass — low music
  11. net — for catching
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bass — the fish
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. net — after costs
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. net — in sport
  24. safe — out of danger

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