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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. net — for catching
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. object — a thing
  6. suit — in cards
  7. branch — a division
  8. degree — an amount
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mate — a friend
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mate — to breed
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. degree — temperature
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a ring
  21. mate — a partner
  22. degree — from a university
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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