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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: clip · branch · board · can · rush · degree · mug · suit

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — temperature
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rush — hurry
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mug — a face
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. clip — a video
  13. suit — to fit
  14. can — a tin
  15. clip — for paper
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. suit — clothes
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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