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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 116 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: pound · squash · lie · stick · mark · fan · degree · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. squash — the sport
  5. root — of a plant
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mark — a grade
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. squash — to crush
  15. degree — an amount
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — temperature
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — a weight
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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