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

Word bank: ruler · bound · patient · bulb · degree · foot

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. degree — from a university
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bound — obliged
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bound — tied together
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. foot — a measure
  15. degree — temperature
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bound — certain
  18. bulb — for light

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