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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. degree — temperature
  3. can — a tin
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. can — a tin
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. degree — an amount
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. branch — a division
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pit — in a race

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