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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.

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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. object — a thing
  4. degree — from a university
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. object — an aim
  9. wind — moving air
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. degree — an amount
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wind — moving air
  23. object — to protest
  24. cabinet — ministers

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