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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: root · fall · bass · chair · pass · vault · degree · bulb

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fall — to drop
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. root — the cause
  8. degree — temperature
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bass — low music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. root — of a word
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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