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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: trunk · branch · degree · suit · jam · rule · safe · present

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. degree — an amount
  4. suit — to fit
  5. present — there
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. degree — temperature
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. present — a gift
  12. branch — a division
  13. rule — government
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. suit — clothes
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. present — the time now
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. degree — from a university
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rule — a law
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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