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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: bay · degree · bulb · field · stand · root · row · fork

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fork — in a road
  3. row — a line
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. degree — temperature
  6. field — farmland
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — of a word
  10. row — to paddle
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. degree — an amount
  17. field — for sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. field — a subject
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bay — a horse colour

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