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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: bank · degree · stem · bore · cell · coach · pop · branch

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. branch — a division
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bank — of a river
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bank — for money
  12. cell — a phone
  13. degree — an amount
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bore — to tire
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pop — music
  24. bore — gave birth

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