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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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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: mate · cabinet · bulb · rest · degree · safe · board · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pop — soda
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. degree — from a university
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rest — a break

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