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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: stem · mug · root · firm · fork · date · mark · degree

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. date — the fruit
  8. mark — a grade
  9. degree — an amount
  10. firm — a company
  11. mug — a face
  12. firm — decided
  13. root — of a word
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mug — to rob
  17. root — of a plant
  18. firm — steady
  19. stem — to come from
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. root — the cause
  23. degree — from a university
  24. fork — a garden tool

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