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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: object · vault · prune · date · charge · bulb · degree · bat

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. charge — electricity
  7. degree — from a university
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. object — a thing
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. degree — an amount
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — in control
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. charge — a price
  20. object — an aim
  21. bat — the animal
  22. vault — a safe
  23. date — the fruit
  24. object — to protest

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