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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · bore · bulb · cabinet · kick · ruler

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bore — to drill
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. degree — temperature
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. bore — gave birth

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