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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 120 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: wave · pitcher · bulb · degree · prune · face · key · mouse

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. key — in music
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. degree — from a university
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. degree — an amount
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. prune — to trim
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — to confront
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. degree — temperature
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitcher — a jug

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