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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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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: degree · mate · branch · board · suit · cell · jam · hide

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. mate — a friend
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. degree — temperature
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. suit — in cards
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cell — in biology
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mate — to breed
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. board — a committee
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cell — a phone
  17. mate — a partner
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. degree — an amount
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. degree — from a university
  22. suit — to fit
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — to get on

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