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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · pit · rule · rest · degree · pound · root · toast

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rule — a law
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pit — in a race
  11. degree — from a university
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rule — government
  17. root — the cause
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. toast — bread
  20. pound — a weight
  21. degree — an amount
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. degree — temperature
  24. root — of a word

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