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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 116 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: branch · root · bass · degree · march · pass · suit · rest

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bass — low music
  6. march — music
  7. rest — a break
  8. march — the month
  9. rest — what's left
  10. march — the month
  11. suit — clothes
  12. degree — from a university
  13. suit — in cards
  14. degree — temperature
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pass — a permit
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. degree — an amount

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