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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bore — to drill
  4. root — the cause
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. root — of a word
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. root — of a plant
  14. degree — from a university
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bore — to tire

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