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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: club · stick · fan · degree · key · dip · saw · branch

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. degree — an amount
  7. key — for a lock
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. degree — from a university
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. club — a group
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. key — in music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. club — for golf
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. club — for dancing
  22. dip — to sink
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fan — to cool the air

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