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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: current · ruler · degree · bulb · roll · bound · toast · clip

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bulb — for light
  6. current — happening now
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. clip — to cut
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. clip — a video
  13. current — of water
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bulb — for light
  16. roll — a list
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. current — electric
  21. degree — from a university
  22. clip — for paper
  23. degree — temperature
  24. toast — bread

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