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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: prune · key · degree · tube · dip · root · mine · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. prune — to trim
  3. key — for a lock
  4. dip — to sink
  5. root — of a plant
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. degree — temperature
  8. key — in music
  9. tube — a container
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. tube — the underground
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. root — the cause
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. root — of a word
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mine — for digging
  20. prune — to trim
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — from a university

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