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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.

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: pass · swing · field · rush · club · bulb · perch · degree

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. degree — an amount
  4. swing — music
  5. field — farmland
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bulb — for light
  8. club — for dancing
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. field — for sport
  13. degree — temperature
  14. swing — to play on
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. swing — in golf
  17. field — a subject
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. club — for golf
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. club — a group
  24. rush — to hurry

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