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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.

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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: mark · net · object · rash · pitch · bulb · perch · degree

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. degree — an amount
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mark — a grade
  5. net — after costs
  6. bulb — for light
  7. object — a thing
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rash — hasty
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — temperature
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. net — in sport
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. net — for catching
  20. object — to protest
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. object — an aim
  24. bulb — for light

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