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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: rush · spell · bank · scale · land · bulb · vault · degree

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — a short time
  5. scale — size or range
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rush — hurry
  8. land — ground
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. land — a country
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. land — to come down
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bank — of a river
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bank — for money
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bulb — for light
  19. scale — in music
  20. spell — letters
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. degree — temperature
  24. spell — magic

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