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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — from a university
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bank — for money
  6. lean — thin
  7. mark — a trace
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. can — a tin
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bulb — for light
  24. degree — an amount

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