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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: object · sharp · bulb · safe · scale · degree · trunk · pitcher

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. scale — in music
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. degree — from a university
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. sharp — clever
  11. degree — temperature
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. object — an aim
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. object — a thing
  19. degree — an amount
  20. object — to protest
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. scale — size or range
  24. safe — out of danger

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