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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. degree — temperature
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. degree — from a university
  7. suit — in cards
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. root — the cause
  10. fine — high quality
  11. degree — an amount
  12. fine — all right
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. court — for sport
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. court — of law
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. court — of a king
  24. fine — a penalty

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