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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · foot · branch · board · lie · club · rest · rush

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. board — a committee
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. club — for golf
  9. board — to get on
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. branch — a division
  17. degree — an amount
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — a break
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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