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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: track · ruler · bat · stick · degree · plane · cabinet · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. bat — for baseball
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. degree — temperature
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — a tool
  9. degree — from a university
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — the animal
  20. degree — an amount
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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