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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: root · swing · temple · lie · degree · straw · deal · stand

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. stand — to bear
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. swing — in golf
  5. root — of a word
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. degree — an amount
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. root — the cause
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. deal — to handle
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. lie — to recline
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. degree — from a university
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. root — of a plant

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