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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: degree · root · foot · stock · dip · lash · game · mate

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. game — a match
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. root — of a word
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. degree — from a university
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mate — to breed
  11. foot — a measure
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. root — the cause
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mate — a friend
  18. game — wild animals
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mate — a partner
  21. degree — temperature
  22. stock — shares
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. degree — an amount

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