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

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — an amount
  4. root — of a word
  5. degree — from a university
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fork — in a road
  17. can — a tin
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cue — for pool
  20. root — the cause
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. degree — temperature

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