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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spell — magic
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. degree — temperature
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mug — a face
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wax — to grow
  16. degree — from a university
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mug — a cup
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. calf — a young animal

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