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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bank — of a river
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. branch — a division
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. degree — temperature
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. branch — of a bank

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