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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: bass · racket · bulb · stand · degree · mug · squash · lie

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. mug — to rob
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. degree — from a university
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mug — a face
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. squash — the sport
  13. degree — an amount
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bass — low music
  24. lie — an untruth

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