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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: deal · stock · degree · temple · net · rock · dip · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. net — for catching
  8. stock — goods
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stock — shares
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — temperature
  19. net — after costs
  20. degree — from a university
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. net — in sport
  24. bulb — for light

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