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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stem — to come from
  8. degree — an amount
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chip — to eat
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. degree — temperature
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. degree — from a university
  24. object — a thing

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