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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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: bat · board · prune · bulb · degree · sharp · bowl · stick

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — to get on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bulb — for light
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. degree — from a university
  20. board — a committee
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. sharp — clever
  24. prune — to trim

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