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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. present — the time now
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bass — low music
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bass — the fish
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mark — a trace
  14. branch — a division
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. lie — to recline
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bass — the instrument

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