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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: bulb · deal · season · chip · fork · wax · nail · degree

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wax — to grow
  4. season — in sport
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. degree — from a university
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. degree — an amount
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. deal — to handle
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. degree — temperature
  24. deal — an agreement

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