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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wound — an injury
  9. degree — from a university
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. degree — an amount
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wax — to grow
  24. safe — a strongbox

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