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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 120 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. degree — temperature
  3. can — a tin
  4. mug — a cup
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rule — government
  10. club — for golf
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. club — a group
  18. mug — a face
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rule — a law
  21. pit — in a race
  22. degree — an amount
  23. club — for dancing
  24. mug — to rob

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