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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 116 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: bulb · dip · degree · lean · stand · swing · rock · current

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. degree — temperature
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rock — music
  8. swing — music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lean — to bend
  15. degree — from a university
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — for light
  20. swing — in golf
  21. degree — an amount
  22. lean — thin
  23. current — electric
  24. lean — to rest against

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