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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: jam · spell · tear · firm · degree · ball · fan · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. spell — magic
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. degree — from a university
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ball — a great time
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. tear — from crying
  21. degree — an amount
  22. spell — letters
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ball — a dance

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