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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.

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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. craft — boats
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. degree — temperature
  9. craft — a skill
  10. degree — from a university
  11. object — a thing
  12. degree — an amount
  13. object — an aim
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. object — to protest
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. branch — a division

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