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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mark — a grade
  5. suit — to fit
  6. degree — from a university
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. root — the cause
  10. branch — a division
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. root — of a plant
  13. degree — an amount
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. foot — a measure
  16. suit — in cards
  17. degree — temperature
  18. squash — the sport
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. root — of a word
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pass — a permit
  24. branch — of a bank

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