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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · root · rush · vault · season · degree · squash · suit

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. root — of a plant
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. degree — an amount
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. degree — temperature
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. squash — the sport
  17. suit — clothes
  18. root — the cause
  19. degree — from a university
  20. squash — to crush
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. root — of a word
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. vault — a safe

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