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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: current · root · nail · pass · temple · tear · bank · degree

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. root — the cause
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — electric
  6. root — of a word
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tear — to rip
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — of a river
  11. root — of a plant
  12. degree — from a university
  13. tear — from crying
  14. current — of water
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pass — a permit
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bank — for money
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. current — happening now

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