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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. degree — an amount
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. firm — a company
  6. saw — the tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. degree — temperature
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rash — hasty
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. branch — a division
  24. degree — from a university

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