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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. degree — from a university
  5. suit — to fit
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. degree — temperature
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rash — hasty
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. root — the cause
  14. squash — the sport
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. suit — in cards
  17. root — of a word
  18. degree — an amount
  19. branch — a division
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ground — a position
  23. rash — a series
  24. suit — clothes

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