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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 124 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: ruler · track · degree · bulb · spring · leaves · bass · pitch

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. degree — temperature
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. degree — from a university
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. spring — of water
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. spring — a coil
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — to keep track
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. track — a path
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bulb — for light
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bass — low music
  22. track — a song
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. spring — the season

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