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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: mouse · mark · lash · bulb · degree · drill · roll · perch

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. degree — an amount
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bulb — for light
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. degree — from a university
  10. drill — a practice
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. drill — army training
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — the tool

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