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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 120 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: deal · rush · degree · wave · stand · craft · root · lie

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rush — hurry
  4. degree — temperature
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. root — the cause
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. deal — to handle
  9. root — of a word
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lie — to recline
  12. root — of a plant
  13. craft — a skill
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. craft — boats
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. degree — from a university

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