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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.

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: degree · can · root · file · race · mug · plane · chip

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. can — a tin
  3. mug — a face
  4. can — a tin
  5. root — the cause
  6. can — to be able to
  7. degree — from a university
  8. race — a contest
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mug — to rob
  11. root — of a plant
  12. plane — a tool
  13. file — a tool
  14. root — of a word
  15. race — humankind
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mug — a cup
  21. race — the arms race
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  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