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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: tube · bulb · fall · pass · roll · degree · toast · foot

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. toast — bread
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — temperature
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. tube — the underground
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. pass — a permit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bulb — for light
  18. degree — from a university
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tube — a container
  23. roll — a list
  24. tube — in a tire

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