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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: pitcher · coach · plane · bat · bulb · root · firm · degree

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. firm — decided
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. plane — a tool
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. root — the cause
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — temperature
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. firm — a company
  24. coach — a trainer

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