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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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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: ruler · stem · straw · wave · bass · bore · branch · degree

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bore — to drill
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stem — to come from
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. branch — a division
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. degree — an amount
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. degree — temperature
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. degree — from a university
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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