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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: board · wake · root · pitcher · rock · scale · bass · degree

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. degree — an amount
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. degree — temperature
  15. root — the cause
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wake — a trail
  19. scale — in music
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rock — a stone
  22. board — a committee
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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