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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · degree · rest · object · rash · court · fall

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. object — a thing
  7. court — of a king
  8. object — an aim
  9. fall — to drop
  10. court — of law
  11. object — to protest
  12. court — for sport
  13. branch — a division
  14. degree — from a university
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. degree — an amount
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. fall — the season
  20. degree — temperature
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rash — a series
  23. fall — to drop
  24. branch — of a bank

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