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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bass — low music
  6. cap — of ice
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. degree — temperature
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. degree — from a university
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bass — the fish
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. drill — army training
  19. degree — an amount
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — ministers

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