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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 116 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bulb — for light
  4. degree — temperature
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. degree — from a university
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. file — a tool
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — employees
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. file — a document
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. file — a line of people
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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