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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: racket · fan · bulb · branch · trunk · club · degree · toast

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bulb — for light
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. branch — a division
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bulb — for light
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. toast — bread
  24. degree — from a university

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