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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · calf · scale · track · temple · root · degree · spring

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. degree — temperature
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. spring — a coil
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. degree — an amount
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. spring — of water
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. track — a path
  20. degree — from a university
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. spring — the season
  23. track — a song
  24. scale — in music

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