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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.

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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: bore · rush · root · bear · fan · mouse · degree · calf

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bore — to tire
  5. root — the cause
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bear — the animal

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