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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. degree — temperature
  3. spell — letters
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. degree — from a university
  12. field — for sport
  13. spell — a short time
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. degree — an amount
  16. field — farmland
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. field — a subject
  24. spell — magic

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