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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: can · branch · net · coach · degree · present · mate · leaves

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. degree — temperature
  4. net — in sport
  5. branch — a division
  6. net — after costs
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. can — a tin
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. mate — a friend
  13. degree — an amount
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. present — the time now
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. mate — to breed
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mate — a partner
  20. present — there
  21. degree — from a university
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. net — for catching
  24. branch — of a bank

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