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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. root — of a word
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. press — to push
  9. root — the cause
  10. can — to be able to
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. press — newspapers
  18. degree — from a university
  19. root — of a plant
  20. press — a publisher
  21. can — a tin
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. can — a tin

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