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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: press · hide · branch · bulb · board · rock · degree · pit

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rock — music
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rock — a stone
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. branch — a division
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. board — to get on
  17. press — a publisher
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. degree — an amount
  20. board — a committee
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. press — to push
  24. hide — animal skin

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