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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: root · field · safe · racket · bass · degree · coach · vault

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bass — low music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bass — the fish
  6. root — of a word
  7. degree — from a university
  8. field — for sport
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. field — farmland
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. vault — a safe
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a plant
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. field — a subject

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