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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rash — hasty
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bark — to shout
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stand — to bear

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