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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. spell — letters
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pass — a permit
  7. spell — magic
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. degree — temperature
  13. current — happening now
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. tube — a container
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kick — in football
  19. degree — an amount
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bulb — for light
  22. tube — the underground
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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