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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: net · degree · stem · pitcher · root · bulb · bore · rush

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bulb — for light
  10. degree — an amount
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. degree — from a university
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. rush — a thrill

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