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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: temple · bank · bulb · staff · fork · root · present · degree

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. present — the time now
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. staff — employees
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bank — for money
  8. root — of a word
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bank — of a river
  12. root — the cause
  13. present — a gift
  14. fork — in a road
  15. staff — employees
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. present — there
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bank — for money
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bulb — for light
  24. temple — a place of worship

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