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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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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: stand · press · branch · row · degree · deal · bay · bank

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. press — a publisher
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. degree — temperature
  6. press — to push
  7. degree — an amount
  8. row — a line
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bank — for money
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bank — for money
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. row — to paddle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. degree — from a university
  24. press — newspapers

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