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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.

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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. kick — in football
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. march — music
  8. root — the cause
  9. squash — the sport
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pitch — completely
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. squash — to crush
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. root — of a word
  22. march — the month
  23. rest — a break
  24. march — the month

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