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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. current — happening now
  3. key — in music
  4. tube — a container
  5. ball — a great time
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. current — of water
  10. rock — music
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — electric
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. key — for a lock
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. degree — an amount
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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