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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. degree — from a university
  4. band — a ring
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — a tin
  10. mate — a partner
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. degree — temperature
  20. can — a tin
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mate — a friend

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