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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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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lean — thin
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tube — the underground
  8. dip — to sink
  9. degree — temperature
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. degree — an amount
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lean — to bend
  15. season — in sport
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. tube — a container
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. degree — from a university
  22. wax — to grow
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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