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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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468
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: key · bore · bulb · scale · rush · pitch · game · degree

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. 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. scale — size or range
  2. game — a match
  3. degree — from a university
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bulb — for light
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. degree — temperature
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. degree — an amount
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. scale — in music
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rush — hurry
  24. 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