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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: pit · present · net · bass · ruler · branch · degree · coach

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. net — in sport
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. degree — from a university
  12. branch — a division
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. net — after costs
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. present — there
  17. degree — an amount
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. net — for catching
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. present — the time now
  22. pit — a hole
  23. present — a gift
  24. bass — low music

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