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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.

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: fork · season · plane · squash · nail · bulb · chip · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chip — to eat
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. season — in sport
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. squash — the sport
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. degree — an amount
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fork — in a road
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. season — of the year
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. chip — in a computer
  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