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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: temple · degree · can · dip · sharp · lean · branch · rock

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. can — a tin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. branch — a division
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rock — music
  7. degree — an amount
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. lean — to bend
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. degree — temperature
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rock — a stone
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — thin
  24. degree — from a university

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