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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.

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: degree · file · chip · plane · calf · stem · bulb · trunk

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. plane — a tool
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a tool
  10. degree — an amount
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. chip — to eat
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stem — to come from
  18. degree — from a university
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. plane — an aircraft

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