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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · bulb · hide · wind · temple · row · fan · degree

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. degree — an amount
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. degree — from a university
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. key — in music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. key — for a lock
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wind — moving air
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. key — the most important part
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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