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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: nail · file · bulb · band · ruler · tube · rest · degree

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. rest — what's left
  2. file — a document
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bulb — for light
  5. degree — temperature
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rest — a break
  8. tube — a container
  9. band — a ring
  10. degree — from a university
  11. band — a music group
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rest — what's left
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. file — a line of people
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. file — a tool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. degree — an amount
  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