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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stem · degree · pass · staff · bulb · mouse · field · deal

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bulb — for light
  5. field — for sport
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. degree — an amount
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. staff — employees
  17. degree — temperature
  18. field — a subject
  19. staff — employees
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. degree — from a university
  22. field — farmland
  23. pass — a permit
  24. staff — a stick

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