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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: bore · branch · suit · pass · stick · rule · degree · dip

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. rule — a law
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rule — government
  15. degree — an amount
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. suit — clothes
  18. dip — to sink
  19. degree — temperature
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bore — to tire
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. branch — a division

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