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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. degree — temperature
  6. firm — steady
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. rule — government
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mug — to rob
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mug — a cup
  16. firm — a company
  17. branch — a division
  18. firm — decided
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rule — a law
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mug — a face
  23. degree — an amount
  24. fan — a supporter

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