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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.

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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: lean · staff · tube · branch · mouse · stock · degree · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. staff — employees
  3. degree — temperature
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tube — a container
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stock — goods
  12. lean — to bend
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stock — shares
  16. degree — an amount
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. degree — from a university
  21. lean — thin
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. suit — to fit

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