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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: degree · saw · branch · stem · stick · charge · land · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. charge — in control
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pit — a hole
  6. degree — an amount
  7. stem — to come from
  8. land — a country
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. branch — a division
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. saw — the tool
  16. land — ground
  17. land — to come down
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — temperature

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