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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.

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: face · leaves · degree · cabinet · bass · root · roll · bat

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. degree — an amount
  3. root — of a plant
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. face — to confront
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. root — of a word
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. degree — from a university
  16. root — the cause
  17. bat — the animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. roll — a list
  20. face — to point toward
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bass — low music
  23. degree — temperature
  24. leaves — to go away

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