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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — a permit
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — an amount
  15. net — in sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pitch — completely
  21. vault — a safe
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — after costs
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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