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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. root — the cause
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. degree — temperature
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bound — certain
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bound — obliged
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pass — a permit
  17. dip — to sink
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a word
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wave — of the sea

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