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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: track · staff · fine · face · board · bulb · sharp · degree

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. track — a path
  3. bulb — for light
  4. face — part of the head
  5. staff — employees
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — all right
  8. degree — from a university
  9. board — to get on
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. degree — an amount
  12. staff — a stick
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. track — a song
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. board — a committee
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fine — high quality
  21. track — to keep track
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. degree — temperature

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