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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. band — a ring
  4. tube — a container
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. mark — a trace
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mark — a grade
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. degree — an amount
  24. ruler — a monarch

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