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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 120 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
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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: last · pop · degree · pit · branch · bulb · chip · bowl

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pop — soda
  3. last — to go on
  4. bulb — for light
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pop — music
  8. last — final
  9. chip — to eat
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. chip — for betting
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. degree — temperature
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. last — finally
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. degree — from a university

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