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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.

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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: pit · degree · stick · ruler · dip · bulb · mark · patient

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. dip — to sink
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — from a university
  19. mark — a trace
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bulb — for light

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