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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: band · tube · stem · degree · ruler · bay · bat · root

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. band — a ring
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bat — the animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. root — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. tube — the underground
  17. root — of a word
  18. degree — from a university
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. degree — temperature
  23. stem — to come from
  24. band — a music group

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