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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.

Words on the sheet
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: plane · mouse · kick · degree · branch · capital · net · bore

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. kick — in football
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. branch — a division
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bore — to tire
  11. degree — an amount
  12. capital — money
  13. plane — a tool
  14. degree — from a university
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. capital — a city
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. net — in sport

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