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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.

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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 · bulb · vault · calf · bay · toast · pit · field

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. vault — a safe
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. field — for sport
  9. degree — temperature
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. field — farmland
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. field — a subject
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pit — in a race
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — bread
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bulb — of a plant

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