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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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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: fine · board · land · rush · can · lean · degree · bulb

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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. can — a tin
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fine — all right
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. can — to be able to
  12. board — to get on
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rush — hurry
  16. land — to come down
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. land — a country
  19. lean — thin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. degree — from a university
  22. land — ground
  23. board — a committee
  24. degree — an amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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