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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bound — tied together
  3. firm — steady
  4. staff — a stick
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. wax — to grow
  9. degree — temperature
  10. object — an aim
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bound — certain
  14. degree — from a university
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. degree — an amount
  17. object — to protest
  18. press — to push
  19. firm — decided
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. firm — a company
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bound — obliged
  24. press — newspapers

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