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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 · suit · bulb · rock · wave · temple · stick · field

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. degree — an amount
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. suit — in cards
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. field — for sport
  10. rock — a stone
  11. field — farmland
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bulb — for light
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rock — music
  17. field — a subject
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. degree — from a university
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bulb — for light

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