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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: bat · vault · safe · degree · root · fan · plane · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. degree — temperature
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. root — of a word
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. degree — an amount
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mate — a friend
  11. root — the cause
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bat — the animal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mate — a partner
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. safe — a strongbox

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