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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: mark · rock · root · pitch · degree · lie · squash · temple

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. root — the cause
  3. degree — from a university
  4. root — of a word
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mark — a grade
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pitch — completely
  12. lie — to recline
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rock — music
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. squash — to crush
  21. degree — an amount
  22. root — of a plant
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pitch — a sports field

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