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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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Word bank
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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: ground · coach · temple · patient · pit · root · degree · bank

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. degree — from a university
  3. ground — crushed
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. root — of a word
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. degree — temperature
  12. ground — a position
  13. bank — for money
  14. root — the cause
  15. bank — of a river
  16. ground — the earth
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bank — for money
  20. pit — a hole
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. root — of a plant
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. degree — an amount

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