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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: degree · racket · cap · suit · net · lie · root · tube

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. net — in sport
  3. root — the cause
  4. degree — from a university
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. degree — an amount
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. degree — temperature
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cap — a hat
  17. net — for catching
  18. cap — a lid
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tube — the underground
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cap — of ice
  23. suit — in cards
  24. net — after costs

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