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

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cue — for pool
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — temperature
  5. date — the fruit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. degree — an amount
  11. cue — a signal
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bound — obliged
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. temple — a place of worship

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