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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: date · saw · bulb · safe · degree · track · fan · ruler

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bulb — for light
  5. degree — temperature
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. saw — the tool
  8. track — a path
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. track — a song
  14. degree — from a university
  15. saw — the tool
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. degree — an amount
  23. track — to keep track
  24. safe — a strongbox

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