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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 120 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: degree · racket · ruler · temple · ground · craft · branch · rash

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ground — a position
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — an amount
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rash — a series
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ground — crushed
  22. degree — temperature
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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