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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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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: foot · degree · present · pit · safe · root · lie · stick

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. degree — from a university
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. present — a gift
  5. pit — in a race
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. present — there
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. degree — an amount
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. root — of a word
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. present — the time now
  18. pit — a hole
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. root — the cause
  22. foot — a measure
  23. degree — temperature
  24. safe — a strongbox

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