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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: firm · bulb · fall · mouse · charge · foot · tube · degree

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. firm — decided
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fall — to drop
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — an amount
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fall — the season
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. firm — steady
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. degree — temperature
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. firm — a company
  19. tube — a container
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. charge — a price
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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