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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
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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: object · fan · toast · root · degree · key · rush · plane

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. degree — from a university
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. degree — an amount
  8. object — an aim
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. key — the most important part
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. root — the cause
  14. object — a thing
  15. rush — hurry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. root — of a word
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. key — in music
  22. object — to protest
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. plane — in geometry

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