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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cue — a signal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. pass — a permit
  5. degree — from a university
  6. firm — a company
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. firm — decided
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. degree — temperature
  16. firm — steady
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bulb — of a plant

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