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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: rash · scale · bulb · degree · pass · temple · court · board

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rash — hasty
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. court — of law
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — an amount
  11. court — of a king
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — temperature
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. court — for sport
  17. bulb — for light
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rash — a series
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — to get on
  24. pass — to spend time

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