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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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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: row · club · snap · coach · branch · mark · pit · degree

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. row — to paddle
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. degree — temperature
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — a group
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. snap — to click
  11. mark — a grade
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. degree — from a university
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pit — in a race
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mark — a trace
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. degree — an amount
  22. branch — a division
  23. club — for dancing
  24. row — a line

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