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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bass · degree · drill · branch · present · chair · mug · bay

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. present — a gift
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. branch — a division
  5. mug — a face
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. degree — an amount
  8. present — there
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bass — the fish
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. present — the time now
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bass — low music
  18. degree — temperature
  19. drill — army training
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mug — to rob

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