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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: bound · branch · suit · degree · jam · fork · safe · toast

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. degree — temperature
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. suit — clothes
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. suit — to fit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fork — in a road
  12. degree — from a university
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bound — certain
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bound — obliged
  19. toast — bread
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. branch — of a tree

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