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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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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 · net · bulb · rush · rule · root · fan · rest

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. root — the cause
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — in sport
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rest — a break
  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