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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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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 · present · stock · squash · root · cap · bay · prune

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. root — the cause
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. present — there
  5. prune — to trim
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. degree — temperature
  9. root — of a word
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stock — goods
  22. root — of a plant
  23. degree — an amount
  24. stock — shares

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