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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 · racket · bass · file · coach · ball · toast · bulb

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bass — low music
  4. file — a document
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. toast — bread
  8. bass — the fish
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. degree — an amount
  15. file — a tool
  16. ball — a great time
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bulb — for light
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ball — a dance
  23. degree — from a university
  24. toast — the most admired

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