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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · rest · safe · club · rock · branch · dip · degree

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. rush — hurry
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — a stone
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. degree — temperature
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rest — what's left
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. branch — a division
  18. degree — an amount
  19. club — a group
  20. degree — from a university
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rock — music

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