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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bulb — for light
  4. degree — from a university
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. suit — in cards
  11. degree — an amount
  12. suit — to fit
  13. swing — to play on
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — thin
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. swing — music
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. lean — to bend
  24. swing — in golf

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