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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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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 · suit · stock · degree · ball · bear · cabinet · key

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. key — for a lock
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. ball — a great time
  16. suit — to fit
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — goods
  21. branch — a division
  22. stock — shares
  23. key — in music
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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