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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 · bulb · bore · degree · cabinet · pass · foot · firm

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. firm — a company
  5. rush — hurry
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bulb — for light
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. firm — steady
  17. degree — temperature
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. firm — decided
  21. bulb — for light
  22. degree — from a university
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bore — gave birth

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