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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lie — to recline
  4. degree — an amount
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — from a university
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spell — magic
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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