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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mug — a cup
  4. root — the cause
  5. degree — an amount
  6. court — of a king
  7. degree — from a university
  8. degree — temperature
  9. cue — a signal
  10. court — of law
  11. cue — for pool
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. court — for sport
  15. mug — a face
  16. cue — a hint
  17. root — of a word
  18. mug — to rob

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