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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · ruler · chip · roll · game · bulb · degree · rash

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chip — to eat
  9. roll — a list
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. roll — a cake
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rash — a series
  17. bulb — for light
  18. degree — an amount
  19. game — wild animals
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. degree — from a university
  24. chip — for betting

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