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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 124 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bulb — for light
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. track — a song
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bulb — for light
  9. roll — a list
  10. degree — an amount
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. roll — a cake
  13. suit — to fit
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. suit — in cards
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. track — a path
  23. degree — from a university
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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