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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 116 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. degree — an amount
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. snap — to click
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bank — for money
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bank — for money
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. board — a committee
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bank — of a river
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bat — the animal
  24. board — to get on

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