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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: root · safe · degree · cabinet · spring · bound · jam · branch

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. degree — temperature
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bound — tied together
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bound — certain
  8. degree — from a university
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. spring — of water
  14. bound — obliged
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. degree — an amount
  24. spring — the season

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