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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 120 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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. degree — an amount
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. degree — from a university
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bound — certain
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bound — obliged
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rush — hurry
  23. branch — a division
  24. rush — to hurry

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