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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.

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: pass · plane · key · temple · squash · root · degree · press

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. pass — a permit
  2. root — the cause
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. root — of a word
  5. squash — the sport
  6. press — to push
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. plane — a tool
  11. key — the most important part
  12. degree — temperature
  13. press — newspapers
  14. degree — from a university
  15. key — in music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. degree — an amount
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. press — a publisher
  23. key — for a lock
  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