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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: branch · coach · rock · squash · bowl · suit · degree · bass

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. branch — a division
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rock — a stone
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. squash — to crush
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rock — music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bass — low music
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. degree — from a university
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. squash — the sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. degree — temperature

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