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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — shares
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stock — goods
  15. present — there
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. degree — from a university
  18. present — a gift
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wax — to grow
  21. degree — an amount
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. present — the time now

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