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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: object · racket · fan · degree · vault · date · face · root

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. root — the cause
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. face — to confront
  5. degree — from a university
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. degree — temperature
  11. vault — a safe
  12. face — to point toward
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. object — to protest
  18. face — part of the head
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. root — of a word
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. racket — for tennis

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