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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: degree · board · pitch · shower · safe · current · bass · bulb

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. current — happening now
  8. board — a committee
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — electric
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bass — the fish
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. current — of water
  19. bass — low music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. board — to get on
  22. degree — an amount
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bass — the instrument

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