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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: track · degree · bound · scale · fork · bay · roll · bulb

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. degree — an amount
  3. bound — tied together
  4. track — a path
  5. degree — temperature
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bound — certain
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bulb — for light
  13. roll — a list
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. degree — from a university
  16. scale — in music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. track — a song
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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