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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: stick · mark · pop · land · degree · club · stem · bulb

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. club — a group
  7. land — to come down
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. land — ground
  10. club — for golf
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — soda
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — from a university
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pop — to visit
  20. stem — to come from
  21. land — a country
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. club — for dancing
  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