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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 · ground · mug · field · pit · temple · root · arm

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mug — a cup
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. root — the cause
  10. degree — an amount
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — to rob
  14. field — farmland
  15. degree — from a university
  16. field — for sport
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mug — a face
  23. arm — part of the body
  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