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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: prune · nail · mug · ground · safe · bulb · temple · degree

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. degree — temperature
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bulb — for light
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mug — to rob
  12. degree — from a university
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mug — a face
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ground — crushed
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. degree — an amount
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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