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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wake — a trail
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. root — the cause
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. foot — a measure
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. cap — a lid
  20. degree — from a university
  21. cap — of ice
  22. root — of a word
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. foot — part of the body

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