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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
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: track · degree · cabinet · bowl · spring · bulb · perch · bay

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. degree — from a university
  8. track — a path
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bulb — for light
  12. perch — the fish
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spring — the season
  16. bulb — for light
  17. spring — a coil
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. degree — an amount
  22. spring — of water
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. track — a song

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