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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · stand · squash · branch · saw · safe · mate · degree

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. firm — a company
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. squash — to crush
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — an amount
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. saw — the tool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stand — to bear
  16. degree — temperature
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. saw — the tool
  19. squash — the sport
  20. firm — decided
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mate — a partner
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. firm — steady

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