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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 120 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.

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: branch · kick · root · mug · ball · lean · stem · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. lean — to bend
  3. root — of a plant
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. root — of a word
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mug — a face
  9. lean — thin
  10. mug — to rob
  11. root — the cause
  12. degree — from a university
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stem — to come from
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. degree — an amount
  22. branch — a division
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — a thrill

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