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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: stand · suit · branch · fine · degree · pound · spring · bank

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. fine — all right
  3. suit — to fit
  4. degree — temperature
  5. branch — a division
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. spring — a coil
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bank — for money
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. degree — from a university
  16. spring — the season
  17. bank — for money
  18. fine — high quality
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. stand — to bear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spring — of water
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fine — a penalty

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