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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. object — an aim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. object — a thing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. band — a music group
  9. root — of a word
  10. band — a ring
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. object — to protest
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. root — the cause
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — from a university
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. degree — temperature

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