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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 120 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: sharp · degree · leaves · bank · dip · temple · wax · straw

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bank — for money
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wax — to grow
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — clever
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. degree — an amount
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. dip — to sink
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bank — for money
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. degree — temperature

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