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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: rash · degree · pit · branch · mug · ball · coach · safe

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rash — a series
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. degree — temperature
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. degree — from a university
  7. branch — a division
  8. degree — an amount
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — a hole
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mug — a face
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ball — a round shape

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