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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: rule · wind · degree · lean · bulb · calf · prune · drill

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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. degree — from a university
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. degree — an amount
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lean — thin
  10. rule — government
  11. drill — the tool
  12. lean — to bend
  13. prune — to trim
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. drill — army training
  16. wind — moving air
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rule — a law
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. drill — a practice

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