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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 120 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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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: cue · net · file · bulb · deal · pound · object · degree

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. degree — an amount
  3. object — an aim
  4. bulb — for light
  5. file — a document
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. object — a thing
  8. cue — for pool
  9. object — to protest
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. deal — to handle
  12. file — a tool
  13. net — after costs
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. degree — temperature
  16. cue — a hint
  17. net — for catching
  18. degree — from a university
  19. file — a line of people
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cue — a signal

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