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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: root · degree · ground · temple · snap · bank · vault · march

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bank — for money
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bank — of a river
  6. vault — a safe
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. root — the cause
  10. march — the month
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. march — the month
  13. root — of a plant
  14. march — music
  15. ground — a position
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bank — for money
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ground — the earth
  21. snap — to click
  22. ground — crushed
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. root — of a word

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