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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. root — the cause
  3. degree — temperature
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. root — of a word
  6. firm — a company
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stand — to bear
  9. degree — an amount
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ground — the earth
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. firm — steady
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. firm — decided
  21. root — of a plant
  22. tube — a container
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. sharp — exactly

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