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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: present · nail · degree · deal · bowl · cue · bulb · saw

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — there
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cue — a signal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bulb — for light
  17. present — the time now
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cue — for pool
  22. present — a gift
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. nail — for a hammer

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