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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 116 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.

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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. branch — a division
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. object — an aim
  8. degree — an amount
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a great time
  14. squash — to crush
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. object — a thing
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. squash — the sport
  21. degree — from a university
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. object — to protest
  24. squash — the vegetable

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