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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bank — of a river
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. net — in sport
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bank — for money
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. root — the cause
  11. net — after costs
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. degree — from a university
  14. row — a line
  15. bank — for money
  16. net — for catching
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. degree — an amount
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pass — a permit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. root — of a word
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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