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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: bulb · calf · roll · ruler · nail · fan · degree · object

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. degree — temperature
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. object — to protest
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. object — a thing
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. roll — a list
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. object — an aim
  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