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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 120 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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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: degree · lash · branch · rule · pitcher · suit · pound · vault

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. degree — an amount
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. degree — temperature
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. degree — from a university
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pound — a weight
  14. branch — a division
  15. rule — a law
  16. vault — a safe
  17. suit — in cards
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rule — government
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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