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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 120 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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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: temple · degree · ball · rock · nail · bat · dip · bulb

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ball — a great time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. degree — an amount
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bulb — for light
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rock — music
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bat — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bulb — for light
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ball — a dance

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