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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 116 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: degree · lie · current · object · root · pit · bulb · lean

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. object — an aim
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — of a word
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. object — a thing
  8. current — happening now
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pit — in a race
  11. current — electric
  12. object — to protest
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lean — thin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. root — the cause
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. current — of water
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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