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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 · degree · field · arm · bulb · scale · mug · key

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. degree — temperature
  4. field — for sport
  5. degree — from a university
  6. field — a subject
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mug — to rob
  11. scale — size or range
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bulb — for light
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mug — a face
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mug — a cup
  20. field — farmland
  21. key — the most important part
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. key — in music
  24. scale — in music

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